2nd. movement

Voyage

A seven-bar introduction bridges the gap between the two movements: the two tonal planes on G and A sharp respectively draw gradually away from each other, so that they cease to interfere, and the notes G and A sharp reveal themselves as the opening notes of a long journey into the infinity series.

The remainder of the 2nd. movement consists simply of a recital of the first 1,024 notes of the melodic infinity series. At the same time, the work illustrates the hierarchical qualities of the series - qualities that enable us to see it as an abstract symbol of the idea of a connection or structural identity between everything that makes up the cosmic whole, large and small (see the articles on the infinity series and the open hierarchy).

The principle is that the music can be heard at several speeds - even several speeds at the same time. The infinity series, or at least 1,024 of its notes, is played in the quickest form (wavelength 1 - WL 1) as even quavers on the flutes, while the job of the rest of the orchestra (individual instruments or groups) is to 'play along' using notes selected from the flute series on a regular pattern. These notes thus represent the slower wavelengths.

For example, the oboe plays every fourth note (BL 4), beginning with the 4th. note, which produces the original series transposed. The clarinet plays every second note, beginning with the 2nd. note (once again a transposition). The horns play every fourth note, that is, the same as the flutes only four times slower. And so it continues. The loudest parts are played most seldom: the trumpets are only heard on every 64th. note, whilst the tubular bells, piano and trombones, playing every 256th. note, only manage to play the first four tones of the infinity series.

What does one hear?

It is hard to say precisely what one hears in this movement, but one could perhaps say that as a piece of music it is instrumented monophony.

One could also say that it is the same music played in many different metres and transpositions (note that the instruments we have chosen to focus on here are only playing non-inverted versions of the infinity series). One can focus one's attention on the wavelength that best suits one's temperament; no matter what speed one chooses one will still hear the same melody.

Recollection - Expectation

Another perceptual experiment would be to focus one's attention on how the hierarchical structure appeals to such fundamental concepts from the psychology of perception as recollection og expectation.

Without recollection, no expectation! In fact, one can quickly become very good at predicting when the slower instruments, such as the trombones, will come in next.

It is as if one knows the music before one hears it: one can predict what is going to happen in the slower layers because one has already heard it in the faster ones.

- at least this is one possible explanation.


				2nd. movement

				Voyage A seven-bar introduction bridges the gap between the two movements: the two tonal planes on G and A sharp respectively draw gradually away from each other, so that they cease to interfere, and the notes G and A sharp reveal themselves as the opening notes of a long journey into the infinity series. The remainder of the 2nd. movement consists simply of a recital of the first 1,024 notes of the melodic infinity series. At the same time, the work illustrates the hierarchical qualities of the series - qualities that enable us to see it as an abstract symbol of the idea of a connection or structural identity between everything that makes up the cosmic whole, large and small (see the articles on the infinity series and the open hierarchy). The principle is that the music can be heard at several speeds - even several speeds at the same time. The infinity series, or at least 1,024 of its notes, is played in the quickest form (wavelength 1 - WL 1) as even quavers on the flutes, while the job of the rest of the orchestra (individual instruments or groups) is to 'play along' using notes selected from the flute series on a regular pattern. These notes thus represent the slower wavelengths. For example, the oboe plays every fourth note (BL 4), beginning with the 4th. note, which produces the original series transposed. The clarinet plays every second note, beginning with the 2nd. note (once again a transposition). The horns play every fourth note, that is, the same as the flutes only four times slower. And so it continues. The loudest parts are played most seldom: the trumpets are only heard on every 64th. note, whilst the tubular bells, piano and trombones, playing every 256th. note, only manage to play the first four tones of the infinity series.


				What does one hear? It is hard to say precisely what one hears in this movement, but one could perhaps say that as a piece of music it is instrumented monophony. One could also say that it is the same music played in many different metres and transpositions (note that the instruments we have chosen to focus on here are only playing non-inverted versions of the infinity series). One can focus one's attention on the wavelength that best suits one's temperament; no matter what speed one chooses one will still hear the same melody.

				Recollection - Expectation Another perceptual experiment would be to focus one's attention on how the hierarchical structure appeals to such fundamental concepts from the psychology of perception as recollection og expectation. Without recollection, no expectation! In fact, one can quickly become very good at predicting when the slower instruments, such as the trombones, will come in next. It is as if one knows the music before one hears it: one can predict what is going to happen in the slower layers because one has already heard it in the faster ones. - at least this is one possible explanation.
	Score sample © Edition WH