Music from the worm farm CD

The first six tracks on the CD are from the series of electronic studies that I did right at the beginning of the residency. Called Protein or Protein Chain (there are a number of each) after the actual subject of the Nurrish lab's research, they are isolated components of the C major Prelude from JS Bach's 24 Preludes and Fugues, Book 1. Each one separates out individual pitches and assigns each one a different instrumental sound. The result is that each is rhythmically distinct and each arrangement slightly different.

protein chain 1

protein chain 7

protein I

protein chain 3

protein chain 8

protein chain 10

The Aldicarb assay quintet takes the Bach piece as its source material too, but its structure is determined by data from the lab: c. elegans on aldicarb, a chemical that gradually paralyses the worms.

Aldicarb assay quintet

The piano pieces that follow are again different versions of the Bach Prelude, comprising seven of the eighteen pieces in A book of mutants, played here by Philip Howard. Some are simple mutations like the Pedal mutant, others more complex like the Double spiral mutant, but all are inspired by the lab's use of genetically modified worms. Sometimes these are variations of the 'wildtype', but sometimes they are transgenic animals with DNA from other organisms: the two pieces with an X are combinations of the structure and patterning of the Bach which holds melodic and harmonic information from elsewhere. The lab concentrates on different forms of locomotion, as a way of finding out about serotonin, so this is what I have done also: I focussed on breaking up the pattern of the Prelude and the way it progresses.

Pedal mutant

Heterophonic mutant

BachXSatie

Unsynchronised mutant

BachXBeethoven

Bag of worms mutant

Double spiral mutant


Blue light/white flags is again an electronic study, this time from the end of the project. It combines elements of two songs that I used to make ensemble pieces that were played in the concert in the Dana Centre on the 19th of March. Der Abschied from Das Lied von der Erde by Mahler and Hejira from the album of the same name by Joni Mitchell. This piece uses a version of the rhythm guitar from Hejira which has been sculpted down using data from the lab. From the Mahler it takes the instrumentation and the changes in tempo.