https://soundcloud.com/mark_hayes/the-unanswered-question

The Unanswered Question (a Cosmic Landscape)

Charles Ives

Sequenced by Welton Barker
https://www.kunstderfuge.com/classical/i.htm

"The Silence of the Druids" section harmony-analyzed from MIDI and turned into a polka by BIAB. "The Perennial Question of Existence" and "The Fighting Answerers" added in Logic.

The idea of using this Ives piece occurred to me as I went thinking about what kinds of classical material might work well with BIAB's harmony analysis. I remembered the Druids, and tried to transpose the dynamic ppp described below into a different kind of monotony, a fairly narcotic march. I'm pretty happy with this project. It sounds kind of Philip Glassy to me. And I confess to finding the "Question" theme quite beautiful.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unanswered_Question

Original program notes (1906)

"The strings play ppp throughout with no change in tempo. They are to represent The Silences of the Druids who Know, See and Hear Nothing. The trumpet intones The Perennial Question of Existence, and states it in the same tone of voice each time. But the hunt for The Invisible Answer undertaken by the flutes and other human beings becomes gradually more active. The Fighting Answerers, as the time goes on, and after a secret conference, seem to realize a futility, and begin to mock The Question. The strife is over for the moment. After they disappear, The Question is asked for the last time, and The Silences are heard beyond in Undisturbed Solitude."

****** [BIAB RealStyle] Song Summary *************
Style is _OLDWLD1.STY "Old World Polka With Horns"
RealTracks in style: 2563:Baritone Horn, Rhythm OldWorld2Beat Ev16 140
RealTracks in style: 2560:Accordion, Rhythm OldWorld2Beat Ev16 140
RealTracks in style: 2562:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm OldWorld2Beat Ev16 140
RealTracks in style: 2566:Horn Section, Rhythm MelodicOldWorld2Beat2Part Ev16 140