Chromoluminarism (2023)

for solo piano, with electronics and visual display

Duration: 10:00

Premiered by the composer himself, Christian Lyons.

Note:

This work invites you to play a game!

Here is how it works:

Each section of music corresponds to a new layer.

Color is varied with each new added layer.

Random patterns these are not.

On and on the layers grow.

Suspect the finished image.

Surmise the final symbol.

As the layers build upon another,

Notice how the musical layers build, also.

Do you have a guess?

Fear not, I will assist.

Last line will reveal the answer.

Answer can also be found vertically.

Maybe another clue is needed.

Each starting letter of each line contributes to the answer!

Chromoluminarism is a style of visual art drawing from the Impressionist movement in which individual dots or patches of color interact to create an image. This concept is reimagined in this work by assigning each dot or dash of an image to a specific musical note and duration. The image is slowly created during the piece through the process of building layer upon layer, each with a varied musical character and using a different visual color. As each new layer is played on the piano, previous layers reiterate around it, eventually leading to a cacophonous climax. The final layer borrows a recognizable melody that assists in revealing the final image.

© 2023, Lyons Music (ASCAP)