Suss Müsik owns a copy of Pearlman’s Guide to Rapid Revision, first published in 1965. The book is currently in its eighth printing. This means that an instructional manual on how to revise is, in and of itself, a revision.
Although Nietzsche considered eternal returns to be the heaviest of burdens, poet Alice Notley had a different take. “Your face comes clearer as time passes,” she wrote, “as if goodbye were forever younger like your face.” When it comes to developing an idea, sometimes putting distance between effort and output helps to clarify things.
Suss Müsik re-examined Junto 0272, a project in homage to the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system. The original piece is constructed around polyrhythms played in various ratios, which we simplified to eight phrases of six notes apiece. Each sequence was played on piano, strings and marimba, then phased according to orbital frequencies we attempted to recall from memory. (Some “cheating” was likely involved along the way. Apologies to TRAPPIST-1 enthusiasts.)
The piece is titled Meiosis, which is a type of cell division in which sperm and egg cells are produced by reducing the number of chromosomes in the parent cell. Without this form of “revision,” human life would not exist. The image is liquid soap in a glass jar.
Suss Müsik deeply appreciates the kind feedback we received from our fellow Junto 0272 participants. It is an honor to take part in this weekly exercise among such wonderfully gifted and talented contributors.
