06 Nero and The Microchip

Nero and The Microchip

This piece is almost entirely quarter tones.  It is torturous for the string players to perform.  It has very specific instructions as to glissandos and to “play as though you are in molten lava” etc..  – ( Why do I do such a thing you might ask? – because boundaries are meant to be explored and expanded ) It is complimented with percussion.  Bongo drums in particular.

It is based upon The Emperor Nero and his torture of the early Christians.  The microchip is an apocalyptic theme.  This comes into play as a result of the early Christian belief that Nero was the Anti-Christ written about in the book of Revelation, and the use of a microchip to control monetary affairs.

This piece is extremely dissonant.  The shocking part about it though is that the ear becomes accustomed to it. So much so that at the end when the quarter tones cease and tonality comes into play; the euphonious part sounds dissonant at first.