"I see a voice" (1999)
for voice, computer controlled piano, video and tape
The stage situation: Christina Ascher, two virtual voices/faces on video screens, a virtual pianist (Disklavier), electronic sounds and a computer, which influences the composition processes in real time and consists of 35 small episodes. Richard Wagner´s early work "Melodram Gretchens" for spoken voice and accompaniment from "Sieben Kompositionen zu Goethes Faust“ - Op. 5, served as point of departure for this multimedia work. The original is distributed on different levels and confronted with a text of concrete lyrics by Eugen Gomringer (a contemporary German author).
The Wagner piano accompaniment, first completely stored in the computer, is generated in real time during the performance according to prepared algorithmic rules. During the performance the composer has the possibilitiy of interactively influencing the process structure. The visual-acoustic level contains spoken text fragments from the "Melodram Gretchens" (Goethe, Faust I), which is built up in a linear operational sequence according to the formal algorithms of the Gomringer text "mémoires, memory, memorias" written in 1983. This appears as a predominantly visual element within the image plane (video) as written text. The performer uses among other things varied and extended melodic phrases of the original music as well as different text elements. All visual and acoustic media receive thus an equal structural sense and complement each other within this composition. The piece was written specifically for Christina Ascher and can be performed only by her.