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Music on a Long Thin Wire was an interesting work. It's focus lies in microtonalities and exploring how sound moves within itself. This piece studied the movement of a synthesized sound between very small intervals and the relationship among the sounds. What a cool idea, but in terms of focusing on that sound for that kind of time, the only  audience this kind of music is likely to have is the academic. The laymen is not going to go out looking for, and doubtfully enjoying this type of music. I liked it, although I get the sense that it would make a better listening were I to move within my space, rather than with headphones on, as I did. I liked it, for all it was without structure. Too interesting to pass up.

Silver Apples of the Moon
Ok, what was that? It had all the elements one would expect of music, tones, rhythm, direction, dynamics even, but what was that? I don't understand why or how one would go about writing music like that. It is beyond me. That being said, I enjoyed it's complexity, as well as it's containment of everything we can classify as 'music.' However, this is not the type of sound I am likely to pursue as a result of the departure from regular and familiar tonality. What an unexpected departure from all I am accustomed to. How fun, though bizarre.

Oliveros' Bye Bye Butterfly is in the same vein as Music on a Long Thin Wire, it's structure played on small sounds to start. By the middle it sounded almost as like sampling of Silver Apples and Thin Wire, slowing to pursue those infinitely small sounds mixed with the rhythms and tones present in Silver Apples. However, it did not incorporate any structural rhythm, it was more effectual, relying on reverberation to make it's point. When the chorus came in, it switched gears entirely! No longer was the audience wandering and wondering, but now was locked into a familiar sound mixed with this otherworldly tonality. Now too, there was rhythm, audible structure! The bookend of the streamlined screech provided Butterfly with a stability and formality befitting any great work. Without this second section of the chorus coming in, it would have flopped as something dreary and dull. However, it came across as a very interesting and complex work.

Overall, Butterfly struck me as peculiar. Striking and independent. Courageous in allowing these two worlds to coexist. Without starting with Thin Wire, I would have been perplexed and lost. Not music I am likely to pursue, Butterfly was very thought provoking, intriguing and complex, but lacked a balance and fulfillment I find coming from tonal music.

Systems of Judgement 1
Sounds like the preface to text and music one would hear in a movie. As though we are standing on a dark road waiting for narration from the main character, or two men to be shouting over the storm. Without structure, the strings and timpani play an ominous role. Something is coming, but whatever it is will not reveal itself just yet.

Systems of Judgement 2
Does not solve anything outright, rather, it decides to beat around the bush and provide more context, more subterfuge. Whatever is happening the listener does not yet know, but rather than building, the second movement seems to only add the siren song and slight moans of the upper strings. Honestly, after the first movement, I expected more, this is a little boring. At the end it does pick up slightly, providing the listener with more to grasp onto, a brighter change for what is coming, but it still just feels like it's building.

Systems of Judgement 3
A complete departure from the second movement, where did we go? Africa? Strange percussion with the piano and natural flute at the beginning pose a question to the listener, more than a statement of purpose. What an interesting direction to take. Just after it begins to become stagnant, Rosenboom adds in what sounds like animal sounds, but pitched and rhythmic. Becomes a little tiring near the end of each section. Like the sustained ideas drag on a little too long before moving on to the next idea or background change or whatever. At this point (as I listen) I find myself wondering if the misspelling of the word Judgment is purposeful or an accident. Somewhere near the end we begin to hear a low voice making nonsensical words, these provide a wonderfully fearful context, melded with the high pitched synth in back gives the impression of a far off scream. A very cool section of this movement. Outside of that section and the opening being such a departure from the previous movement, it was rather dull.

Systems of Judgement 4
This movement seems very ambient, unstructured. I feel like it lacks any structure or motive. How does this fit in with what happened last movement? Although this one sounds as though it actually uses instruments the listener might be familiar with, a series of bells and some light percussion. It starts and stops without a beginning or end. Maybe that's why it's called 'Interrupt'...

Systems of Judgement 5
Begins very softly, contemplative and focused, deliberate but not tense. The celli and basses that enter provide some tension and uncertainty. I like this movement a lot, this quiet intensity rooted in uncertainty is very interesting, So unsettling that I can't quit focusing on it, this could also be due to the plucked string instrument echoing in the background, though occasionally it comes to the front. And then it just ends.

Systems of Judgement 6
More chaos, this music is unyielding. This movement appears to have an accordion as well as the strings and a lot of percussion accompaniment, later I hear horns too. The unstructured nature of these past few movements prompt the sound of deliberate chaos, and I can't think of a better way to describe it. Again it ends without any climax or buildup, leaving the listener wondering and wandering.

Systems of Judgement 7
At this point, the work is becoming enamored with itself, finding a degree of understanding that is too far removed to be coherent. A listener cannot pick up the pieces to decipher the greater meaning that lies within this work. It is academic for it's own sake. It exists without structure and at this point, is nearly grating.

Overall, the work stretches for meaning, for a sense of self. It seems contrived in it's attempt to become something more, but only occasionally. When it does not, however, it still lacks something, some substance or structure is missing. I can't put my finger on it, but something does not sit quite right within this work. I think it is that ominous foreboding quality from the first movements that entice the listener in, without ever coming to a climax or point of arrival.

I imagine that with any given order any of the listenings would be completely different. Almost like concert programming, the programmer (listener in our case) must be aware that anything could happen based on the order of the listenings. I could get a completely different opinion and effect of the pieces based around the order of the listenings.