Impermanence in For Decorative Purposes Only

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Lowell Fuchs (Creator)

Institution

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )

Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Advisor

Mark Engebretson

Abstract: The focus of this thesis is my work "for decorative purposes only" for antique objects, live and pre-recorded electronics, and improviser. The work presents an exploration of the concept of impermanence through the use of decaying antique artifacts, the continual alteration of sound-producing materials, and the use of improvisation in performance. The work is influenced by ideas developed by Alan Watts, Martin Heidegger, John Cage, and certain Eastern religions. The piece is comprised of a sculpture of antiques that is musically activated by an improvisation that uses my own collection of objects, a constantly changing selection of pre-recorded materials, and live processing to create the music. The amalgamation of the physical sculpture and its activation through a musical performance by the improviser creates what I refer to as an interactive sound sculpture. The piece was developed through experimentation with found objects and percussive techniques, pair with electronic playback and processing. I have performed "for decorative purposes only" eleven times and witnessed elements of the work evolve and decay over time. To demonstrate the ever-changing experience, this document contains a detailed catalog of antiques used, venue locations, and additional notes for each performance of the work. In addition to this catalog, I have provided three recordings of separate performances of the work. The audio recordings are contained as external links associated with the online version of this text. The development and subsequent multiple performances of "for decorative purposes only" establishes impermanence as a concept of aesthetic value. My hope is that the piece will continue to evolve, develop, decay and renew over a long period of time.

Impermanence in For Decorative Purposes Only
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Created on 5/1/2018
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Additional Information

Publication

Thesis

Language: English

Date: 2018

Keywords

Antiques, Composition, Electroacoustic, Impermanence, Improvisation, Sculpture

Subjects

Improvisation (Music)

Percussion music

Aleatory music

Sound sculpture

Found objects (Art)

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