Imagined overtures

for rock band in 1/6 tones (2005), 15’

In the early years of the 20th century, the Berlin-based Italian composer Ferruccio Busoni pondered the possibilities for the future of music and contemplated a new beginning through the use of microtonal intervals, third-tones to be exact. In order to reconcile those third-tones—yielding an 18-tone equal temperament—with our 12-tone equal-tempered system of half-tones, Busoni suggested a sixth-tone scale which yields an octave divided into 36 equal intervals. But unfortunately, Busoni never composed any music in this new scale.

Imagined Overtures ponders a new way to explore 36-tone temperament—for a rock band in with three electric guitars: one tuned one a sixth-tone higher, one “normal”, and the third one a sixth-tone lower. It is a beginning of what will hopefully be a new window of opportunity for a fascinating scale. As it is a beginning, it seemed appropriate to title the movements based on various theories of creation, all the more timely given the current creation debates, which like Busoni's new intervals, should have been resolved a century ago.

Available on Los Angeles Electric 8: Imagined Overtures
(digital album)