Text Scores, Endangered Languages and Reappropriation

"Primexa"

Brythonic Language

I have been conducting research on endangered and obsolete languages over the last several years and how they may be integrated into the fabric of my compositional pursuits.  


An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use as its speakers die out or shift to speaking another language. Language loss occurs when the language has no more native speakers, and becomes a "dead language." If eventually no one speaks the language at all, it becomes an "extinct language". It has been a very interesting journey discovering recordings of last known survivors of obsolete languages.                                            

My interest in text scores/word events (Check out James Saunders and John Lely's  book "Word Events: Perspectives on Verbal Notation") and reappropriated scores led me to develop certain theorems as to how best to integrate these various mediums into a singular, seamless work.

"Assemble the Mirrors..." is the result of these explorations and I anticipate I am only touching the tip of possibilities of what may come.  

SoundCloud: 

"Assemble the Mirrors Into a Box-Like Structure" (2013)

https://soundcloud.com/bil-smith/assemble-the-mirrors-into-a