TangledTimelines

Listen to Tangled Timelines

Watch a video of a Tangled Timelines performance

Review of a performance of Tangled Timelines at a Future Music Oregon concert in May 1999

by Robert DeFord

Here is my current theory. There are four ways or paths or approaches to engaging listeners: The mind, The body, The emotion, The will.

While listening to the comments from other people in the audience, I became aware that most of the people who liked the piece were expressing their liking in terms of the mental or intellectual stimulation it provided. I agreed with them. The piece was a good example of a work that engages the listener through the mind. As a Kyma owner, I was fascinated by the use of the harp as a controller. It really stirred up a lot of thoughts. I found that a sense of 'seeking' or 'moving' was there. But it was on a level that appealed to my mind. No one, myself included, found rhythms in the piece that made us want to get up and dance. So, the appeal to the body was not really there. That was okay with me. I do not dance much.

But, from an emotion standpoint, the piece was strong, very strong. Typically, with harp music, the emotional appeal is "angelic" or "cloud floating" or "rippling of gold" or a gay, happy dancing. Most listeners like to have their emotions lead in that direction. But, this harp did not sound like that at all. The opening chord... wham... an explosion of dark, intense, power. It was like reading Poe. I was emotionally engaged, yes.

From there, it went on... an unfolding exploration of a deeply felt, intense vision. Sinister in places, mournful in others. Most of it was haunting. The occasional interweavings of sweet melody only served to increase the tension. There was violence in there, along with the clashing of opposing forces. At times, I felt like I was watching a traffic accident. See?

As for an approach to the will, there was some. More of a challenge really, to get the will of the listener to play with the sounds, imposing order.

When I met Carla I was struck with a sense of shyness, and a sense of a delicate physical presence, almost frailty. When I heard the harp piece, it was as if she flung off those garments to let intense intellect and intense emotion shine forth like a powerful beacon. It was a surprise; it was great! I immediately had the thought that that was her intent as a composer and the basis for the piece. I think she found a freedom in doing that music that was intoxicating.