Sunset - Diminishing Light

Sunset is a meditation on gradually diminishing light intended to have a calming and meditative effect as the audio-visual stimuli fade to darkness. The composition pairs video of the pure light of an actual sunset with ambient environmental audio textures. The soundtrack gently unfolds with sparse subtle gestural moments in both sound and video, but the primary theme is a sustained atmospheric texture. Any perceptible gestures are extended over a long duration focussing the eye and ear on the textural qualities of the video and sound (Smalley 1986). To complement the spatial qualities of the video, ambient sound materials are used, which have been time-stretched to enhance their drone-like qualities revealing their inner detail. Several 'frozen moments' of sound were created and arranged to produce movement and flow through the soundscape. Alongside these textures there are occasional flurries of sound to signal changes and variation.

The minimal gestural qualities of the video permit the observer to enter the acousmatic listening mode. In the absence of any visual imagery the audience is able to be completely absorbed in the listening experience. When visual material and music are combined, the audience are often in the audio-visual mode which 'changes the quality of sounds and hides certain aspects of sounds irrespective of audio style’ (Coulter 2007). Although imagery can distract the listener from experiencing the music to its fullest extent, minimal images, such as colour spaces, can allow the listener to enter the acousmatic mode. Although this work can be enjoyed as a pure musical experience it is intended for the audience to appreciate both media as a cohesive whole. Sound and image gradually fade their intensities as the piece progresses towards its diminishing teleology.

Coulter, John. 2007. ‘The Language of Electroacoustic Music with Moving Images’.
Smalley, Dennis. 1986. ‘Spectro-Morphology and Structuring Processes’.