Composer

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Alvin Curran

Genre

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Keyboard

Style

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Keyboard

Average_duration

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43:12

'Inner Cities 8' is a contemporary classical composition by American composer Alvin Curran. It was composed in 1991 and premiered on October 25, 1991, at the Festival d'Automne in Paris, France. The piece is divided into three movements and has a total duration of approximately 70 minutes. The first movement, titled "The Magic Carpet," is a solo improvisation for piano and electronics. The performer is instructed to use a variety of extended techniques on the piano, including plucking the strings and playing inside the instrument. The electronics consist of pre-recorded sounds and live processing of the piano's sound. The second movement, "The Yellow Pages," is a collage of field recordings and live performances by a large ensemble. The recordings were made in various cities around the world, including New York, Rome, and Amsterdam. The live performers are instructed to play a variety of instruments, including saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, and percussion. The ensemble is also accompanied by a pre-recorded tape of electronic sounds. The final movement, "The Hallelujah," is a choral work for mixed voices and electronics. The text is a collage of religious and secular texts, including excerpts from the Bible and the poetry of Walt Whitman. The choir is accompanied by a pre-recorded tape of electronic sounds, which includes samples of the choir's own voices. 'Inner Cities 8' is characterized by its use of collage techniques and its incorporation of field recordings and electronic sounds. The piece also reflects Curran's interest in improvisation and his exploration of the boundaries between composition and performance. The work has been praised for its innovative use of technology and its ability to create a sense of place and atmosphere through sound.

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