ELECTRONICS AS A MEMBER OF THE ENSEMBLE

Historically, electronic, or computer parts in mixed music enjoyed a weighted contribution; that is, the electronics were equivalent in weight, material, and loudness to the acoustic ensemble as a whole. Exceptions tend to be prevalent in improvisatory ensembles, but with notated music written for a traditional configuration (e.g., string quartet, wind quintet, or orchestra) the electronics are rarely parallel to a single performer. In my work, the computer part is comparable to any other individual in the ensemble. This is achieved by having a classically trained performer triggering a real-time generative system in Pure Data. The performer must approach this performance as she would in any other ensemble, including following a conductor, managing loudness, and score reading. This chapter looks at a variety of ensembles, mixed music, and other approaches that led to the decision to compose mixed music in this way. It also explores what needs to be true of the electronics for it to be an equal member, rather than a monolith that sits next to the rest of the ensemble.