Album Notes

Improvisation has a long history in classical music. Until recently, it has been dead. To help bring it back to life I had been searching for the opportunity to compose a Soundpainting with classical musicians whose improvisation foundation is derived from the likes of Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Stockhausen, Braxton and Ives. Ofcourse, I was immediately interested when Gil first contacted me about this project. We met several times to discuss the approach; the underlying direction of the three Soundpaintings would center around Gil as the pivotal force, his improvised choices influencing and eliciting the direction I would take the orchestra, and in turn, Gil would be Soundpainted and influenced by my responses to his choices - a continuous give and take.
In Soundpainting terminology any section of rehearsed and/or notated music is called a palette. I composed 24 palettes from Haydn's notation, representing the signature points of the Concerto. Using these palettes and/or extending them with Soundpainting gestures, allowed me to get inside the material to expand and elaborate it.
The combination of what I term open-form Soundpainting mixed with palettes and Gil's wonderful solo work culminated in the three Haydn Soundpaintings on this cd.
I offer many thanks to the Modern Chamber Orchestra for their hard work in preparing for this recording. We had only 3 two hour rehearsals - most of the performers had no prior experience with Soundpainting or improvisation.
Approximately 95 Soundpainting gestures were used in composing the three Haydn Soundpaintings. All compositions were composed live using the Soundpainting language, there are no edits.

-Walter Thompson


Soundpainting is the univeral live composing sign language created by New York composer Walter Thompson for musicians, dancers, actors, poets and visual artists working in the medium of structured improvisation. At present the language comprises more than 800 gestures that are signed by the Soundpainter indicating the type of improvisation desired of the performers. Directon of the composition is gained through the parameters of each set of signed gestures.

For more information please visit www.soundpainting.com

The Players

Gil Selinger, Solo Cello
Walter Thompson, Soundpainter

Modern Chamber Orchestra
Violins - Etienne Abelin, Anton Stahly, Lissa Pasternack, Helen Yee, Christine Lee, Alice Colby, David Grunberg
Violas - Eddie Malave, Stephen Salchow, Dylan Willemsa
Cellos - Tara Chambers, Jessica Cesanna, Erich Schon-Rene
Bass - Mark Wade
Oboes - Brian Greene, Julie Ferrara
French Horns - Marshal Sealy, Jennifer Beakes