Paula Matthusen · Composer

the old language continues its dialogues in ordinary dust is one of a series of pieces that deals with feedback and draws its title from Peter Gizzi’s collection of poetry Archeophonics.

This particular version of the piece gives special mention to Seth Cluett, as it was inspired after seeing him improvise on cassette recorder and mixed electronics as part of his performance with Pauline Oliveros at the Fridman Gallery in Oliveros’s Apple Box Double. I subsequently devised a performance environment in which all the electronic sounds are derived from feedback generated by microphones on portable cassette recorders.

The feedback tones are modulated by changing one’s physical proximity to the microphone, and occasionally using small chambers to shift the tones that may emerge from this system. The sounds generated in the space are sampled, stretched, and layered and placed in different combinations through a series of different presets controlled by the performer.

The score for this piece exists entirely with the max patch, and was formalized at the request of Andy Kozar (trumpet) and Corrine Byrne (voice) so that they could travel with the piece and perform it as a duo. I have subsequently played it many times as part of a solo electronics set.

This way of generating feedback and improvising became a crucial part of many subsequent pieces, which also bear titles from Peter Gizzi’s poetry.