We all inevitably fall into the abyss (2024)
for Clarinet/Trumpet, Saxophone, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Fixed Media
Performed by Soundmap Ensemble
"We all inevitably fall into the abyss" is about the relentless flow of information, the constant demand for attention and productivity. It is about the void we feel after consuming millions gigabytes of data, the profound isolation we sense amidst the hyper-connectedness. It is about the sense of burning out.
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I got the first idea of the piece from waking up one morning to the sound of a truck backing. The high-pitched sine tone of E flat beeped periodically and non-stoppingly stressed me out immensely. This overwhelming sensation inspired me to write a work that reflect the anxiety in the post-modern world, particularly the sense of overload and alienation experienced in the digital era.
The truck backing beeping sound reminds me of the beating phenomenon happening between two closely placed tonces. In this piece, I started with muted Trumpet and Baritone Saxophone, both just a couple cents away from Eb3. I see the beating effect both a timbre manipulation, a vibration, as well as a rhythm. Further complexity is added through the incorporation of saxophone key clicking and percussive piano elements, crafting a rich, multifaceted auditory landscape. This soundscape, characterized by its darkness, repetitiveness, and overwhelming nature, mirrors the cyclical nature of consumption and the quest for significance amidst information saturation.
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