I woke up this morning with an earworm: the line from “Gemini” (off Ben Monder’s 1997 album with Theo Bleckmann, No Boat). It goes like something like this:
(Feel free to correct my transcription; guitar harmonics not indicated as such. Also, Theo Bleckmann sings this line. With his voice.)
It took me a full twelve hours to remember what the song was, who it was by, where the recording was; an unexpected earworm.
And strange, given that I haven’t listened to this record in months. I spent this week listening to and studying Bach (St. John’s Passion) and Webern (5 Lieder aus Der siebente Ring). These scores landed on my piano because I’m trying to come up with something to submit to the Aradia ensemble’s “Baroque Idol” contest. I’ve been searching for examples of interesting melodies that will shake me out of my usual habits. I’m also trying to figure out how to write something contemporary for period instruments, writing in a way that will be idiomatic enough to fit the context but not sound derivative. Maybe my pre-conscious mind last night was trying to tell me that the place between Bach and Webern is Monder… how will intervals like this ring on period strings?
