Christopher Kaufman’s MUSIC FROM EARTH – (11/’07) for Alto Saxophone Soloist, CDTape of Western/Eastern Orchestral, Electronic and Natural Sounds and Visual Projections.

About MUSIC FROM EARTH the composer writes:

…”Music From Earth represents a new evolution in my work in terms of how music is put together and presented. I came to computers recently and now am enjoying working with film artists and for those projects modern technology is paramount. It was with great pleasure that I discovered the possibilities for the combination of live and electronic music. I use my western orchestral sounds and electronic instruments in original ways born of my long experience with live music and orchestral composition. Add to these the eastern orchestra, electronic instruments and natural sounds and you have a very fulfilling orchestral ‘universe’.

…The resultant sound world and presentation is unique and versatile, infinitely diverse and able to monumentalize inspiration and compositional planning. MUSIC FROM EARTH is often presented with lighting and visual projections of natural images – which can seem as abstract images, sometimes of recognizable creatures or forms…”

Quick Overview:
Opening Rift – the work begins at the ‘mid-atlantic rift’. Earth Rhythm – The music progresses with war-like rhythms through the ocean. Whale-song is part of the texture, mixed with symphonic textures and powerful thematic melodies in the saxophone. Air – Expressive solos interweave sounds of tree crickets, polyphonic owls, woodpecker, harp, piccolo, marimba and other sounds. Interlude. Ritual Snake Dance – You’ll hear saxophone, eastern percussion, piano, mutedtrumpet, bass, electronic brass and rattle-snake sounds. UrthStorm – the final movement features lightning strokes, complex driving rhythms, live ‘cuica’ and the central message of MUSIC FROM EARTH.

MUSIC FROM EARTH was composed during the last two weeks of August, 2007 for Saxophonist and New Music Champion Demetrius Spaneas. It is part of a series of works inspired by Environmental Awareness, the leadership of Al Gore and others, my own sense of these issues and my love of the sounds involved. Demetrius has premiered the work in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (11/08) and performed it at the DOM Cultural Center in Moscow. He continued to tour the work with a number of other pieces of American music (including his own) in locations such as Kyrgyzstan, the Ukraine, Bulgaria, St. Petersburg and Riga, Latvia. Now we will perform it in America. When possible the performances include a film of natural imagery. This film, which I created, uses microscopic images and images of familiar forms close up so as to appear abstract as well as recognizable natural images such as creatures and geographical forms.

Demetrius Spaneas – composer for film and concert stage / virtuoso performer (saxophone, clarinet, flute) – world traveling new music champion – read more about him and listen to his music by visiting his site.

“…such zest, such fire, such a gleeful explosivenesss… had it been just one percent more intense, it would have necessitated scraping the audience off the walls.” – BOSTON GLOBE