HARMONIA (1990-2023)

seven pieces on the seven aulos tunings of ancient Greece

played by Alison Melville - Artinoise Re.corder Stephanie Chua - keyboard synths

THE SCALES

The scales were described and codified by Katherine Schlesinger in her massive 1939 study of the subject “The Greek Aulos” I originally discovered these scales in “Genesis of a Music” by Harry Partch.

The aulos tunings can all be rendered as 7 note scales , so I’ve made them conform to a C major scale. Tunings are expressed as ratios- for example the dorian scale looks like this. 1/1: 11/10: 11/9: 11/8: 11/7: 22/13: 11/6: 2/1 The Partch book gives you the cents value for each interval. This can be translated to cents deviation from equal temperament.

The dorian scale applied to a C major scale is tuned like this: C 0 : D -35 : E +47.4 : F-48.7 : G -17.5 : A +10.8 : B +49.4

When I first used these tunings in the 80’s on synths it was not so easy. Microtuning is so much easier to do these days, and so prevalent in current synths. In the 80’s the Yamaha FM synths were among the few that offered a useful micro tuning system. I used DX7ii , TX802, TX81z as well as Emu Proteus.

Now there are many synths with micro tuning , including VSTs like the U-he line. Also hardware synths like the Korg Monologue and Minilogue , and Moog Matriarch.

In this version of “Harmonia” I use U-he Hive ; Vital : and Plogue Chipsynth OPS7.

THE ARTINOISE RE.CORDER

A couple of years ago I put down $100 on the Kickstarter that launched this instrument- the Re.corder by Artinoise. I didn’t expect much , and the project kept getting delayed through the pandemic. But then I got my instrument about 2 years ago. And it turns out to be an amazingly good instrument. The Bluetooth response is very good, and of course it opens up the possibility of electronic playing in a very good way …. Its a recorder with benefits.

I played MIDI wind a lot at a certain point in my life (the Yamaha WX5) . The original version of “Harmonia” was written for the WX5. I completely rewrote the piece for this Re.corder version.

Runs deep, bends time - for choir with electronic tracks (2022)

Performed by the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Conducted by Kari Turunen

Solists: Emily M Cheung soprano Maria Golas alto Eric Biskupski tenor Steven Belanger bass Georges Couling,

Commissioned by the Vancouver Chamber Choir

Premiere Performance October 14, 2022 Saint James Community Square, Vancouver BC

I generally write my own texts for choral and vocal music and these texts are often philosophical in nature. “Runs deep…” is about death.

The piece is in 9 sections. The first and last sections create a possible ritual around death. Three of the sections deal with the cycle of life. The other four are about disruptions of the cycle. There are of course an infinite number of disruptive ways to die, but I’ve chosen to write about two pandemics- the one in 1348 that is the basis of the Decameron of Boccaccio, and the one of 2020 that was with us until very recently.

The reality of gun death is told through the story of Dr. Kalashnikov the inventor of the most deadly weapon of the past hundred years. I also write about the worst tragedy in the history of Vancouver - that of the missing and murdered women. Each person has a unique understanding of death. This is my personal take.

Full text and score available at: http://www.peter-hannan.com/runs-deep-bends-time-score

now this.00

Short electronic pieces played on hardware synths with bluetooth Re.corder.

Here is one of them : now the other.02, played on Hydrasynth, Erica synths LXR-02 drum machine and Zen delay.

Thing 5

THING is a series of semi-improvisational pieces with Moog Mother 32 and Make Noise 0-coast. The Mother 32 sequencer drives the 0-coast , but the 0-coast also sends back control information effecting the Mother 32 FM , and sometimes pitch. Effects and mix- Ableton Live 10 Visuals - Final Cut Pro X , Resolume Avenue, Oscilloscope!

RSRCH 12/84 played by Berlin recorder virtuoso Susanne Fröhlich

livestream from BKA Theatre Berlin June 30

This is a piece I wrote 36 years ago….

Starts and ends - with Camille Hesketh , soprano

Starts and ends- from History of the heartbeat

Words and music are by Peter Hannan.

The singer is Camille Hesketh. camillehesketh.com

Michael Sider - video

Georges Couling - sound recording

Tree 105

Ableton Push performance .

Live electronic music at 105 BPM, featuring a tree from my neighbourhood.