Paragraph 7.0
A performance generator for Cornelius Cardew's The Great Learning: Paragraph 7 with Tone.js.
Description
Original Piece
The Great Learning is a collection of experimental music pieces by composer Cornelius Cardew based on translations of a Confucius text of the same name. The translated text is made up of 7 paragraphs, each of which was given its own musical score by Cardew. Paragraph 7 is a piece written for a group of vocalists. The score can be viewed here.
The piece is written as a series of lines specifying the lyrics and the number of repetitions for each line. For example, "sing 8 IF" instructs a vocalist to sing the word "IF" 8 times, using an entire breath to sing each repetition. All lines are to be sung softly unless the optional notation (fn) is present, which indicates any n repetitions must be sang loudly. For example, "sing 13 (f3) BE IN CONFUSION" indicates the lyrics "BE IN CONFUSION" should be repeated 13 times, one breath per repetition, with three of the repetitions sang loudly and all others softly.
For each vocalist, all repetitions of a line are to be sung on the same note. Each vocalist selects any note to sing for the first line. For subsequent lines, vocalists select a new note which meets the following criteria:
- It must not be the same note used to sing the previous line.
- It must be a note currently being sung by another vocalist. If there is no such note, choose any note.
Each vocalist progresses through the piece at his or her own pace and is free to pause between lines.
Due to the random nature of the instructions, no two performances are exactly the same. Performances of the piece can be viewed here and here.
Project
This project generates virtual performances of the Paragraph 7 using audio samples of singers. The musical piece and note selection algorithm have been programmed with JavaScript, and a generated performance plays in the browser. Waiting times to simulate breaths between repetitions and longer pauses between lines are randomized.
Differences
Performances generated by this piece have no lyrics. Instead, for each repetition of a line, a note is "sang" without any lyrics. Additionally, each virtual "vocalist" uses samples of an chorus of vocalists, meaning a single virtual "vocalist" produces the sound of many vocalists.
Resources
Samples provided by Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra.
Audio playback created with the incredible Tone.js.