To BEASTies past, present and future

For a piece commissioned by BEAST for BEAST FEaST 2022 festival (during BEAST’s 40th anniversary year), it seemed inevitable that I should once again dive into the pool of material already explored in BEASTory (2010) and BEASTiary (2012): recordings of the BEAST system being dismantled after concerts and ‘at rest’ in the BEAST store. Wee BEASTies is thus another expedition in search of the busy creatures, small and large, that make up the BEAST sonic ecosystem.

Like BEAST itself, these three works are concerned with space as a crucial dimension of composition and performance in the acousmatic domain. As well as spatially pre-composed layers, BEASTory experimented with the real-time spatialisation of certain elements during performance, using the BEASTmulch software that controls the sound system. By contrast, BEASTiary was composed for 72 channels routed directly to 72 loudspeakers, each group of speakers receiving material designed to exploit its specific character and location. Both approaches presented certain practical problems (to put it mildly!). In Wee BEASTies, ambisonics provide the primary means of investigating not only the locations and trajectories of sound materials, but also their intrinsic and implied spatial qualities and behaviours.

So much for technical matters. What is more important in this landmark year is to thank the many fellow travellers who accompanied me on my own journey with BEAST. I hope they will agree that ‘we BEASTies’ did something pretty special!

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Wee BEASTies was realized in 2022 in the composer’s studio in Birmingham (England, UK) and premiered on July 1, 2022 in the Elgar Concert Hall of the Bramall Music Building of the University of Birmingham, as part of the BEAST FEaST festival marking the 40th anniversary of BEAST. Thanks to the University of Birmingham — and to all BEASTies.

Premiere

• July 1, 2022, BEAST FEaST 2022: Concert 8, Elgar Concert Hall — Bramall Music Building — University of Birmingham, Birmingham (England, UK)