Cities And Memory

"The first National Park in the United States was Yellowstone, and the most recognised attraction is the geyser Old Faithful. Predictions of Old Faithful eruptions are central to human activity at the site. People plan their days around these times. Efforts are made to make the most accurate predictions possible, however there are variations and it is never exactly known at what moment the geyser will erupt. It is a wonderful representation of human reliance on natural rhythms, which we only partially understand. "In my composition Pulse of Yellowstone, I explore the rhythms and predictability of Old Faithful. There is a predictability of pattern and rhythm, yet it is slightly off of what is expected, reflecting the experience of those who attempt to predict the geyser.  The raw recording occurs in its entirety twice in the piece - at the very beginning, sped up very fast to give the listener the essence of its overall shape, and at around half speed across the entire piece to set the pace and drama of the c