Writings

Why we call this project "Fourth Stream"

Project Fourth Stream is our natural evolution of composition into a more spontaneous, malleable event. Gunther Schuller broke ground by combining Jazz and Classical music calling it Third Stream. His approach was to combine elements of western classical music with jazz. The results were extended compositions using classical instruments or set for symphony orchestras. This work brought jazz into the concert hall and opened up many possibilities for music.

Our approach differs in that we value the spirit of improvisation and let our compositions morph as we're performing them. Our ideal is to provide just enough structure and content to produce strong musical works but still remain flexibly enough to enable a spontaneous performance.

When you look at our backgrounds, you'll see where these ideas came from. William Neil is a respected composer of our time. Tom Gullion is a gifted jazz improviser. When we happened to cross paths, we discovered that even though our backgrounds are quite different our musical language is remarkably similar. Neil approaches the music from the perspective of a composer, weaving creative tapestries and fascinating harmonic textures. Gullion comes from his jazz roots as a melodic improviser who can spin lines which sometimes lead, sometimes follow.

It is remarkable, even to us, how we can communicate "in the moment" during our performances and know where the other is heading. Fortunately, for us, our listeners enjoy the experience as much as we do!

A New Dimension to Musical Composition

My new approach to composition is an outcome of my time reading about the unified theory of energy in the late 1990's in preparing to compose a commissioned work "Super String Quartet" This commission inspired by this play on words was the first time I was asked to compose a piece around a given title for the work. After musing over this mind bending hypothesis, I thought about everyday life differently. Our lives are interrupted segments of activities, yet our minds are tuned to a constant stream of thoughts. Are those streams of thought just smaller byes of a larger stream of consciousness? As I grow older I have realized that I am running out of measurable time-a losing battle of consecutive horizontal time, and this is leading me to think more about "vertical' time, or time deeper in thought. I asked my self, could I create music that is deeper in time or thought, not just the product of 'hidden' themes or patterns in its structure or notation. Could a piece of music have a deeper meaning if it was part of a larger scheme of music thought and could the listener perceive this? Many composers have written cycles of works around dramatic themes. However, these works were most often written as consecutive compositions one growing from the next. What if I composed a work on one theme or perhaps based on a setting of poems and during the composition of that work, I took time off and composed another work using the music and the poetic themes of the first work. Moreover, when I returned to the first work I brought with me the most essential musical ideas of the second piece to continue composing the first piece. Would that first piece composed over a broader period; have meaning that is more musical? Therefore, if I choose themes and sources of inspiration that have broader horizons, could I change the essence of the meaning of the music.

Improvised composition / Composed Improvisation

We are working through many concepts about how to support our ambitious goals. When does a composition provide too many constraints and inhibit a spontaneous performance? What's the minimal amount of composed music that's required to still hold together as a "composition?" Obviously, there are no clear, precise answers to these questions. But that's the joy of art! Neil works tirelessly at devising new strategies for composition, reuse of material and how to somehow predict the results. Fortunately, he's almost always successful in this work.

It's an interesting process to participate in the flow of this work. We usually bring in a compositional sketch, rework it over and over during rehearsals and then discuss it after each performance. Even our best intentions and ideas which work great in the rehearsal studio, often need revising after a performance. As I write this it may seem frustrating. But the opposite is actually true - that's the whole point, this music is LIVE and has a spirit of its own. One could easily apply the metaphor Michealangelo suggested about sculpture: the real art lies somewhere within the piece, our job is to remove the nonessential material and reveal its true essence.

Thoughts on Collaboration

We use a number of means to collaborate. We don't have the luxury of having unlimited rehearsal time and are forced to maximize our time together. We are getting rather good at sharing ideas, sketches and compositions via phone and e-mail. While this approach is never as effective as rehearsing together, it has benefits. One aspect which I enjoy is the time-delay associated with e-mail. When I receive an idea or a sketch, I can look at it briefly and let it rest for some time before I really begin to dig in. This internalization of the ideas can yield some surprising results. Especially when it leads me to a place which wasn't originally intended. Perhaps the original idea reminds me of something quite different. If we remain open to shifts like that, it can help us discover some fascinating music.