Section 7: Notes on Continuous Periodic Composite Sound Waveform Environment Realizations of Map of 49's Dream The Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery
Title
Section 7: Notes on Continuous Periodic Composite Sound Waveform Environment Realizations of Map of 49's Dream The Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery
Subject
Drone music; Minimalism (Music); Just intonation; Sine waves; Sound environments; Frequency ratios; Microtonal music; Dream House; Electronic music; Sustained tones; Psychoacoustics; Periodic composite sound; Tuning systems; Theatre of Eternal Music; Experimental music
Description
A theoretical text documenting Young's sustained tone compositions and sound installation concepts using electronically generated sine waves tuned to precise frequency ratios based on just intonation principles. The notes explain the realization of continuous periodic composite sound waveform environments, wherein multiple sine wave generators produce mathematically determined frequencies that create complex interference patterns as listeners move through space. This work forms part of Young's larger compositional project "Map of 49's Dream The Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery," begun in 1966 as a subsection of the even more expansive "The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys" (initiated 1964 with the Theatre of Eternal Music). Young developed a classification system called "The Two Systems of Eleven Categories" that established algorithms for selecting frequency ratios that exclude the number five, ensuring that not only the primary frequencies but also their combination tones maintain specific mathematical relationships.
Creator
Young, La Monte, 1935-2023
Source
Part of Aspen Magazine No. 8: The Fluxus Issue; Accompanies Section 5 (phonograph recording); Related to "Map of 49's Dream The Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery" (begun 1966); Part of "The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys" (begun 1964); Connected to Dream House installations (first installation September 1966-January 1970 at Church Street)
Publisher
Roaring Fork Pres (New York, N.Y.)
Date
Fall-Winter 1970-1971
Contributor
Zazeela, Marian, 1940-2024 (Collaborator/Light designer); Graham, Dan, 1942-2022 (Editor); Maciunas, George, 1931-1978 (Designer); Johnson, Phyllis, 1926-2001 (Publisher); Theatre of Eternal Music (Associated performance ensemble)
Relation
Is part of Aspen Magazine No. 8 (Fall-Winter 1970-1971); Subsection of "Map of 49's Dream The Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery"; Part of larger work "The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys"; Related to Dream House sound installations; Influenced by Hindustani classical music study with Pandit Pran Nath; Connected to "Dream House 78'17"" album (Shandar, 1974); Precursor to "The Well-Tuned Piano" (begun 1964)
Format
Folded printed sheet; Text document with theoretical explanations and frequency specifications
Language
English; Mathematical notation; Frequency specifications
Type
Theoretical text; Composer's notes; Technical documentation; Sound art proposal; Performance instructions
Coverage
Temporal: 1965-1971
Spatial: New York, N.Y. Aspen, CO.
Collection
Citation
Young, La Monte, 1935-2023, “Section 7: Notes on Continuous Periodic Composite Sound Waveform Environment Realizations of Map of 49's Dream The Two Systems of Eleven Sets of Galactic Intervals Ornamental Lightyears Tracery,” Exhibits, accessed April 2, 2026, https://exhibits.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/29576.
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