This recording is my realization of Barry Guy's remarkable "Nasca Lines." I spent many weeks creating this recording, after months of communication with Barry about possible realizations. In the end, Barry gave me a great deal of freedom. I had been listening to his music for years, and that combined with further study of his extensive catalogue of compositions and recordings of his improvised music -- all of which offered me context, grammar, and style -- I was able to hopefully create something that represents his voice as much as much as mine.

I was delighted when he responded very enthusiastically about the recording when I sent the finished mix to him. Barry wrote: "I received your creation with a mix of joy and total amazement. The running time of c. 50 minutes takes the listener on a very special journey, with an intriguing mix of vocal and marimba activities that are constantly drawing the ears (and imagination) to the special textures that you have compiled."

Note: I realized section 3A for this recording. And if you want to see some of the score, click on the title for each track.

Here are Barry's notes about the piece:

The Nasca lines are giant ground drawings that cover 400 square miles of Southern Peru's coastal desert. The various geoglyphs: outlines of birds, animals, plants, spirals and geometric shapes, have given rise to much speculation as to their intention. Discounting certain theories of extraterrestrial landing sites, the lines would certainly attract the idea of ritualistic activities.

From a compositional point of view the complexity of these images suggested a graphical musical realization. So in sections three and five of the seven part work, there are special references with clear musical articulations related to these ancient manifestations.

Writing the piece for the outstanding players of the Upstream Ensemble and Halifax Symphony Orchestra members presented an ideal opportunity to not only create a dense compositional structure but also areas of freedom where the musicians can "speak" through the Nasca lines, respond freely to the graphic representations and so research and bring back to life again the powerful suggestions of these symbols which were created 2,000 years ago.

Texts used are drawn from the Scottish artist Alan Davie whose own work relates closely to the mystical in ancient cultures and has been the catalyst for my interest in creating graphical scores.

--Barry Guy, 2001