Echonance #4 – Concert #3

Tom Johnson Hidden Melodies

Johan Luijmes – organ

Tom Johnson (1934—2024) Hidden Melodies. In Hidden Melodies, Tom Johnson explores the beauty of simple numerical processes. Patterns unfold gradually, revealing subtle symmetries and discreet surprises within strictly defined structures. The piece exemplifies Johnson’s minimalist clarity: music that discovers itself through logic, repetition, and attentive listening.

Nirantar Yakthumba बगलामुखी (Bagalāmukhi)

Kristia Michael – voice, Alex Mastichiadis – clavichord

This piece grows from Nirantar’s study of North Indian ragas, Arabic maqāmāt, and quarter-comma meantone. Bagalāmukhi proposes 42 new tonalities in an extended meantone system, each with melodic fragments that reveal its character and guide improvisation. The work invites performers to learn these tunings deeply and relate them to their own musical practice.

Peter Ablinger Instrument and Voice

Kristia Michael – voice, Alex Mastichiadis – organ

Ablinger transforms spoken voice into precise musical patterns, which the instrument seeks to mirror. The piece exposes the tiny details of speech—its pitches, noises, and rhythms—turning language itself into music.