The Endless Struggle between my fellow Man, my Machine and Myself

FOUR CHANNEL SOUND INSTALLATION - 2010

Multiple simultaneous recordings of Bach's Goldberg Variations as an allegory for life in modern times or a lullaby for the end of the world.


Four loudspeakers face inwards to form a square 15 feet wide. At the center of each side of the square is each loudspeaker playing back a particular recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988).


The struggle with 'Myself' is represented by 2 strikingly different historic recordings Glenn Gould made of the pieces. His 1955 performance (on loudspeaker #1), and his 1981 performance (on loudspeaker #2).


'My fellow Man' is represented by Daniel Barenboim's popular recording (on loudspeaker #3).


'My Machine' is represented by a computer performance of a MIDI file of the score (on loudspeaker #4).


Each movement is synchronized to start at the same time then play out in it's natural time. Due to the simultaneous playback and different characteristics of each performance (ex. voicing, timing, tempo chosen, decision to take repeats, etc) the result is a cacophony of piano strikes fighting for, with and against each other. Man versus man, man versus machine and man versus self.