Configuration No. 1 (2018) for Solo Voice by Brent A. Morden

In Configuration No. 1, I notate two staves with contour lines, each of which controls a parameter for the shape of the singer’s oral cavity on each syllable. For example, on the first syllable [l], the relative height of the line on one staff describes the vowel shape, while the other describes the tongue’s position on the roof of the mouth. This work is an exercise in how much control a composer can get over the variables affecting the physical interface of a vocal performance (i.e. the performer’s oral configuration). As the vocalist sustains sound throughout the piece, I also notate which pitches are to be sung.

Configuration No. 1 was written for the spring 2018 Columbia undergraduate composition seminar under Georg Friedrich Haas. It was inspired by the techniques in Dieter Schnebel’s work madrasha II. The text for Configuration No. 1 goes as follows: “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.”

This recording of Configuration No. 1 is of its premiere performance on April 26th, 2018, performed by the composer at Symphony Space. Special thanks to Georg Friedrich Haas, Bill Dougherty, and Ashkan Behzadi.