The Accidental Psaltery

The Accidental Psaltery is loop-based music created by chance or Other Power. By looping random phrases together, surprising melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic juxtapositions occur spontaneously. The inspirations behind these sounds are Nature, Japanese aesthetics, the writings of John Cage, and an instrument created by Richard Cook called the spinner. I view these pieces more as weather than music and think they would best be used ambiently or as film accompaniment. The antique psaltery used to create the pieces is pictured below. I won it on ebay for $25.


Below are several early examples of the work.   

<a href="http://ricktarquinio.bandcamp.com/track/s2-l7">s2 l7 by Rick Tarquinio</a>

<a href="http://ricktarquinio.bandcamp.com/track/s2-l15">s2 l15 by Rick Tarquinio</a>

<a href="http://ricktarquinio.bandcamp.com/track/accidental-psaltery-s2-l05">accidental psaltery s2 l05 by Rick Tarquinio</a>



UPDATE: On October 30th, 2011 the first full-length recording of The Accidental Psaltery was released on Resting Bell. You can listen to and download "Sending You Going" free by clicking on the picture: 


The Accidental Psaltery - Sending You Going

"a slow and beautiful chaos" ~ disquiet

"sounds of an ancient instrument being played with grace" ~ netlabelism.com

what light was left i stitched into song  -  3/27/2013 


Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)