Saṃsāra is a composition that blends synthetic sounds with electronically manipulated human speech. This work emerged from an exploration into specific philosophical concepts and their transformation into formalized processes in music composition. Consequently, the philosophical ideas were translated into computer programs, orchestrating them into musical materials.
In this composition, a defining feature is the isomorphism shared among all musical parameters, encompassing rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and phonemes. This inherent isomorphism facilitates the consistent application of the same computer programs across all musical parameters, uniting the synthetic sounds and vocal phoneme poems into a unified whole.
The musical output of these intricate processes conjures a continuous ebb and flow of phenomena, echoing the Buddhist concept of Saṃsāra, the cycle of birth and rebirth. Interestingly, the title of the piece emerged long after its completion, as I uncovered unexpected parallels between the processes developed for the composition and the fundamental principles of the Buddhist worldview. This alignment between philosophy and sonic expression adds an additional layer of depth to the composition.
Notably, Saṃsāra exists as a computer program, rendering the sound file on this page just one of an infinite number of possible realizations.