NewMusicBox

SoundTracks: 2004

Dhani: Pentatonic Epic

Michael Robinson

Michael Robinson, who has released 50 self-produced CDs of computer-generated performances of music inspired by world music traditions, each packaged with a beautifully-designed cover on hand-silkscreened mulberry tree paper from Japan, has really outdone himself this time… His latest release is a performance lasting nearly 3 1/2 hours, divided onto a total of 4 CDs. Based on the pentatonic Hindustani Raga Dhani, which features a minor third and a minor seventh along with a perfect fourth and perfect fifth, Robinson's Dhani (2003) is arguably the longest-ever pentatonic composition. Following the structure of a North Indian classical instrumental performance, the raga is divided into alap, jor, jhala and 3 gats. In the alap, which takes up the first 2 CDs, the raga is introduced in a slowly unfolding exposition across a wide range of registers and timbres, including several atypical to Indian music such as the Balinese jegogan. On the third disc, the jor and jhala are presented together without pause: the raga, now presented on a timbre closely approximating the clarinet, gains rhythmic momentum eventually climaxing in rapid ascending and descending cascades that would never be possible on a clarinet operated by a human performer. But the real surprise is the final disc, where the rhythmic cycles of the traditional North Indian tabla are replaced by complex polyrhythms scored for a simulacrum of a pan-global percussion orchestra highlighting sounds normally associated with traditional musics from West Africa, Brazil, Cuba, China, and elsewhere. A percussion jam lasting nearly 20 minutes precedes the re-introduction of the pentatonic raga, which this time is presented in fully-notated emulations of virtuoso instrumental improvisations based on a series of pre-composed melodies against the rhythmic scaffolding.

Frank J. Oteri, Publisher and Editor

Alap (2003) (86:33)

Jor & Jhala (2003) (57:38)

Drut, Ati Drut and Ati Ati Drut Gats (2003) (53:13)

Related Info:
{Azure Miles Records 4004/05/06}

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Thank you for that commentary, Frank. I know that NewMusicBox is swamped with CDs, and appreciate you taking the time to feature a 4-CD release.

I don't know if you are intimidated by my use of Indian ragas, a subject you may not be very familiar with, or simply do not enjoy the music enough to pen a single positive adjective, but I do thank you for the description, even if it was done as an obligation of your job. Out of curiosity, I read a few of your reviews where you raved about some CDs I cannot bear listening to for more than ten seconds, so what we have here is simply a difference in taste, which is healthy.

I am glad to report that Dhani was included among the CDeMUSIC Editors Choice recordings for 2004, and while I cannot keep track of everything, I know it was played on at least once on a leading new music radio program despite its length.

For the benefit of readers, here are my views on some of the topics raised. Needless to say, none of the following is in any way a criticism of the author. There really is no way anyone could know certain details without asking or interviewing me. The author's comments are important because they allow me to respond to some common misconceptions.

I was truly blessed when the brilliant and stunningly creative, Amanda MacBlane, who left NMB, was in charge of reviews, and had some uncanny insights into my music, but as a wise friend reminded me, its all about yin and yang!

To begin, all of my music, including the percussion parts, is precisely notated. There is no improvisation or “jamming” involved.

Over the years, a number of people have found it incredible that my music is entirely notated, but I have the scores to prove it, and plan to make them available.

One of the goals of my composing is for the music to take on a life of it's own.

My music is voiced with samples of acoustic timbres from myriad countries and cultures. I use Indian tunings, with some exceptions.

As a composer who also creates the performance of each composition, I am attracted to the unique expressive and technical capabilities of pure computer-performed music, reflecting anahata nada. "Computer-performed" is a more graceful and accurate description of my music than "computer-generated."

As explained in the liner notes to Dhani, and in other writings, the expressive and technical demands of my music are beyond the reach of live musicians.

It simply is impossible for any live musician or musicians to perform my music. Thus, the performances of my music are unique, and are not “emulations” of live musicians, though master performers of Indian classical music, jazz and many other traditions, not to mention my own personal past experience playing the piano and saxophone, have definitely influenced me.

For instance, in the second gat of Dhani, my use of a European trumpet timbre reflects my love for the improvisations of Dizzy Gillespie and Lee Morgan, even though either of them would never have been able to perform this music in terms of expression, technique and tuning, and vice-versa, of course.

The same is true for the percussion music featured in the third gat. At a cursory glance, it may appear to be a "simulacrum of a pan-global percussion orchestra," but this is a new form of percussion music that can only be performed, both technically and expressively, by the meruvina.

I was deeply moved when two critics, independent of each other, were kind enough, after writing favorable reviews, to inform me that they found my compositions to be so unusual, and even disorienting, it took repeated listenings before they got beneath the surface of the music, and were able to get a handle on it.

Regarding the phrase "based on a series of pre-composed melodies against the rhythmic scaffolding", I did not use any pre-composed melodies in Dhani. Also, the melodic and percussion voices are equal partners, weaving in and out of each other. Thus, the rhythmic voices are not a "scaffolding" for the melodic voices.

I recognize that some people have difficulty disassociating acoustic timbres from live performers, but I feel this is the essence of using technology to create music, a concept anticipated by Conlon Nancarrow with his player piano.

I believe it is the best of both worlds to compose music voiced with samples of acoustic timbres, and performed in real time by a computer and sound module, the later being both a sample playback unit and synthesizer, without any human interference. This is the medium I feel reflects the metamorphosis of classical music in our time.

There is a parallel here with the art of Duchamp, Johns, Rauchenberg and Warhol. All of these artists used found objects in new ways to illuminate their creative vision. Similarly, I use the sounds of sampled acoustic instruments as found objects in my compositions. They are an intrinsic part of what I need to realize my music.

Its not that I am against abstract electronic sounds, the environmental sounds of urban and rustic areas, or composers who interact with their digital instruments, and use live musicians whose acoustic instruments are electronically altered. There are compositions I love that feature such sounds. They simply are not part of my aesthetic vision.

Even though I do not use live musicians, I get inspiration from listening to artists like Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain, Pandit Jasraj, Shivkumar Sharma, Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia, L. Subramaniam, L. Shankar, Vikku Vinayakram, Bob Dylan, Bill Evans, Charlie Parker, the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and many, many, many more. Too many to mention. The same goes for composers who inspire me.

During performances, which includes the recording of my CDs, the spatialization of sounds are programmed to manifest differently each time a composition is played, within certain parameters.

Lastly, I wish to point out that even though the melodic structure of Dhani is pentatonic, komal gandhara and komal nishada are tuned differently for ascending and descending phrases in the alap, so in a sense, the alap of Dhani actually uses seven different tones, or shrutis.

The concept of shrutis was best explained to me by two geniuses of Hindustani music, Shivkumar Sharma and Pandit Jasraj, during interviews I conducted. They are an extremely difficult concept to grasp, and have generated much debate in academic circles. That is why I sought the opinions of two supreme raga performers.

Azure Miles CDs are purposely self-produced, as are the CDs of one of the greatest musicians in recorded history, Zakir Hussain. I imagine that at least ninety-five percent of American composers also produce their CDs. I guess the author pointed that out because I am so prolific. Gazing back at the history of Western composition, being prolific does not appear to be a bad thing.

I have received offers to record from several records labels, but the terms were not attractive enough for me. I am interested in acquiring additional distribution for Azure Miles. If you are in that field, gentle reader, feel free to contact us.

- Michael Robinson