Hiram
for clarinet, electronics, and video
Hiram Bingham III is frequently credited as the “discoverer” of Machu Picchu. At the dawn of the twentieth century, he was guided by local Quechua campesinos to the awe-inspiring ruins that overlook the Urubamba River Valley. He dedicated many years of his life to the exploration of the Peruvian Andes and the remnants of Incan civilization, still inhabited by Quechua and the mysteries of an ancient people.
Hiram is part of a set of pieces for soloist and electronics entitled Quaerere Sententias, “search for meaning,” intended to explore examples of humanity’s quest for meaning. Musical material is influenced by Andean traditions such as the huanyo, and samples of a zampoña, a qena, and a cajón are featured, both guiding and sought by the clarinet.
Hiram was commissioned by—and is dedicated to—Cheryl Melfi.
information
duration: 10'40"
Hiram is performed using a video with stereo output plus an additional out for a click track. The video file contains 5.1 audio. It is setup so that channels 1 & 2 contain the stereo output of the electronics, and channel 5 contains a click track for the performer. All other channels are not used.
Premiere performance (w/o video) by Cheryl Melfi as part of KcEMA's Digital Reeds, January 14, 2012.