Performance Aesthetics [Razzi]

I do not envision the pieces necessarily connecting immediately for the listener. Slowly, as the song progresses and themes are established and recur, the pieces will begin to fit together—much like the actual process of writing the song.

We do plan to experiment with sound location and lighting effects to intensify the listener’s sensory experience. In the poem, the Nightingale seems to be singing from different locations. In order to emulate this effect, I plan to move about the room when I play the Nightingale theme. In this way, no two audience participants will have the same experience. The experience becomes very personal and allows the listener the opportunity to become the speaker and experience the speaker’s delights and frustrations with the Nightingale.

The lighting should be extremely simple. As the piece begins, we should have full lighting—perhaps even the audience should be lit. As the piece progresses, just as the poem, the lights should dim—VERY gradually—so that the audience does not perceive the change at first. Again, we are creating a full sensory experience. Sight and sound, as well as touch/feeling are involved in this performance. I say touch/feeling because the very act of creating music creates sound waves and vibrations that can be perceived by the listener.