Images Of Duration (In Homage To Ellsworth Kelly)

– General Description:
Images of Duration was Written by Alex Mincek between 2015 and 2018 for Yarn/Wire (the New York percussion and piano quartet). Scored for two pianos tuned 1/4 tone apart (441 and 428 Hz, respectively) and percussion instruments including: tuned gongs, air canisters, waterphone, baby monitor, and white-noise machine, drums, vibraphone, marimba, and chimes.

As I listened I kept the volume at a constant level, so the track reviews are consistent with what a person listening with the naked ear (no earbuds) would also hear. Am I supposed to be impressed because Mincek can put this all on paper as musical notation? Two tracks are mildly amusing (and do not have long too-quiet-for-radio sections).

– FCC Compliant: YES
– Recommended Tracks: 5, 6
– Track Reviews:
1. (3:44) Points On A Spiral - one opening piano chord, then veryvery quiet tones (bad audio equipment?) until 1:16; then slow descending chord progression; back to almost no sound at 2:59
2. (2:28) Grids In Black And White - snare drum(?) whacked immediately; drum rolls in middle; distorted sounds; plucking of piano strings and disjointed snare sounds
3. (17:49) Oblique - drum whacked then virtual quiet; slow low rumbling starts, grows over time until around 5:00 when low long headache-inducing tones are introduced; they stop at 7:53, slow step-wise ascent and then random tones on piano with more annoying hums in background
4. (6:09) Diagonal - chord whacking directly on piano strings plus percussion and some riffs; a little spot of chaos; virtually silent after 5:50
5. **(4:59) Vermillion Becomes Cobalt - sparkly and shiny disjointed clashing sounds
6. **(15:37) Oxblood Becomes Orchid - low clunking around the caves and some chaos that builds; mood inducing
7. (3:41) Points On A Spiral 2 - chord and then veryvery quiet tones until 1:20
8. (2:09) Quartz and Feldspar - meh