Tristan Perich & James McVinnie

Infinity Gradient

There is really no other composer in America quite like Tristan Perich, whose work is inspired by the aesthetic simplicity of math, physics, and code. The Wire describes his compositions as “an austere meeting of electronic and organic.” A visual artist by origin, this multi-facetted musician and composer has found a way to weave digital forms of composition with acoustic instruments in the most enthralling and magical way. His use of 1-BIT electronics has grown from simple pieces for solo instruments and a single 1-BIT processor to epic pieces like Drift Multiply. In that work he paired 50 solo violinists with 50 individually-composed 1-BIT tracks (relayed via small loudspeakers next to each player) to produce a 100-voice symphony of sound. Infinity Gradient conceived in collaboration with next-generation organist James McVinnie, expands that idea, with a composition for pipe organ and 100 speakers each with its one 1-BIT track. The piece was commissioned by Musica Nova, Strasbourg and designed for cathedrals, large churches with pipe organs.

"This was refreshing and also emotionally powerful, because the piece was so well made. At a little over an hour, this is one of Perich’s longest works and had the most accomplished and satisfying form one has yet heard from him.”

New York Classical Review

Steve Reich: ‘I started listening to [Drift Multiply], and I thought, my gosh … In some ways it reminded me of Petrushka. Who would think of electronic chips as summoning up anything as beautiful, musically, as that?’