Listening report- Pauline Oliveros’ “Ione”

 

For this Listening report I have decided to analyze the song Ione (1989) written and performed by Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster & Panaiotis, the members of the Deep Listening Band. They have captured the fantastic acoustics of the Fort Worden Cistern, a cavernous underground water tank which possesses an amazing 45 second reverberation time producing pure, smooth reverberation which overlaps the original sound. The recording employs composer Pauline Oliveros' accordion and voice; Dempster's trombone and composer/designer Panaiotis' voice, whistling, pipes and metal pieces.

This piece is characterized by low and long sounds and it reminds me of something I have inside me that literally keeps me alive like the vibration of my heart. When I usually listen to music, I let my mind go with the flow and images and situations, that I would have never expected, come into my mind with an unpredictable strength: in this case these sounds, sometimes a little bit repetitive, seem filtered to me, like they’re played outside while I find myself underwater, at the same time they convey solemnity, discovery, revelation just as when the arrival of the king is announced. For this reason, all these associations have led me thinking about Atlantis, a wonderful and imponent empire located underwater, which perfect suits to this song.

Besides I find it really stimulating, in fact I would listen to it in order to focus and reflect or just to stimulate my creative process.