Jeremiah's Music Blog: Putting in place time

Putting in place time

"One of Hewett's many sub-plots follows the rise of the programme note, starting with Berlioz's instructions on how to listen to the Symphonie Fantastique, and culminating in the current situation where it's unthinkable for a new work to be presented without copious verbal explication. Herein lies the misery of the modernist composer: obliged to teach the audience a new language, but inevitably doomed to fail."

And now, the copious verbal explication:

I need to give a little context for what you're about to hear. This short piece is really a fusion of two musical ideas i've had in my head for weeks Google's Japanese-to-English translation engine.

Understand I already have an affinity for "Engrish" (see: "All your base are belong to us") and when i found Google's translation engine (still in beta, duH!) was pretty terrible at translating, I realized I'd found a brand new toy to play with.

Using the FAQ page from a Japanese public BBS provider (iBoard? iBBS?) as a starting point, I clipped various phrases (in their original order) that had a pentamic appeal to me. After I'd arranged the lines into a semi-rhythmic structure, I created a basic melody, some music to go around it, and viola!!

I hope you enjoy my little creation - sure was fun to make. May I be so humble as to mention the existence of Amazon wish list, a wonderful way for friends and fans to show their support. It really does feel wonderful when UPS brings me one of those trademark boxes with surprises in it. Heartwarming and inspirational don't begin to describe it...

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Here are the lyrics to "Putting in Place Time":

It is presently
making use of
normal
but being to like
to modify
in secret type
it does, but?

Proposing rental,
being to transmit
the empty
it does,
but passing how long,
the mail does not return

As for the access
centralized
time zone
until the picture
is reflected,
there are times
when considerable time
is required.

Putting in place time,
please verify
for the second time

Thank you, Google!

Posted by Jeremiah at February 24, 2005 09:06 AM | Tag This Post | Digg It!

What a trip... using free association, the random words actually build a recognizable collage of meaning and thought. Very personal, and all the more enjoyable for it.

Knowing that the Google language engine came into contact with a randomly chosen Japanese BBS.. and from its FAQ and the chance selections of items from that... it adds an element of "bizarre" to what otherwise feels familiar. It seems you took a tool and a piece of paper and created an vivid imprint of the listener's psyche... listening to this piece, that is what I hear/see/imagine.

It embodies the often scrambled interface between "normal life" and the internet/computer enforced forms and structure we must face as we move through our jobs/lives. It is demanding that we verify information, we are replying "I am putting in that information"... over and over. Every day we have to position ourselves in line with that kind of structure... a structure that seems to be pouring into real life from the computer world. Life becoming e-Life.

Altogether a unique and very cool composition... enjoyable.