Gordon Monro - "Many Worlds Theory"

"Old Tom's Numerical Prophecies"

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"Lament Over Jerusalem"

"Many Worlds Theory"

For harpsichord and tape, duration 11 mins 10 secs (2001)

Go to the download page for an extract from Many Worlds Theory.

Program note

The many-worlds theory of H. Everett is an interpretation of quantum physics. According to this theory, every time a random event could have happened, the universe splits into two: in one copy of the universe the random event happened; in the other it did not. Thus there are an enormous number of "alternative universes", with new ones splitting off all the time. Everett advanced this theory as a replacement for the probabilistic interpretation of quantum mechanics, which is what Einstein was objecting to when he said "God does not play dice". In this piece the alternative universes are represented by two slowly diverging pitches and by randomly arranged snippets from computer games, the alternative universes most accessible to us.

Many Worlds Theory has as a framework part of a work for solo harpsichord by J.S. Bach (the Adagio from BWV 974). This work is itself a transcription from the different world of an oboe concerto by the Venetian composer Alessandro Marcello (though it was earlier thought to be a transcription of a Vivaldi violin concerto). The original oboe melody is represented in the tape part in greatly slowed-down form (like the Chinese melodies in Japanese Togaku court music); much of the harpsichord part consists of computer-generated elaborations of parts of Bach's elaboration of the oboe melody.

Many Worlds Theory is dedicated to harpsichordist extraordinaire Winsome Evans, who offered help and encouragement during the composition of the piece.

Performance materials are available from me or from the Australian Music Centre.

Performances, etc

"Live Wires" concert (organised by the Australasian Computer Music Association), Old Darlington School, University of Sydney, 13 October 2001, harpsichord Winsome Evans;
"Form, Space, Time": Australasian Computer Music Conference, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, 7 July 2002, harpsichord Anastasia Russell-Head.

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