The idea behind Music for Heart and Breath is to translate the body's quiet internal rhythms directly into music, using the natural tempo variations within each musician.
Composition History
Richard Reed Parry first tried his Heart and Breath concept as a duet with a pianist playing the heartbeat and a viola player whose breathing cued chord changes.
Interpretation
Each performance of Richard Reed Parry's Heart and Breath music is unique, as it is susceptible to the performers' moods and environment, with even the pressure of a live audience affecting tempos.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Richard Reed Parry was influenced by Brian Eno's theory of the 'small brain' (human brain) and 'large brain' (body) in developing his Heart and Breath project, seeking music that speaks to both.
Compositional Technique
Richard Reed Parry's Music for Heart and Breath compositions use the heart rates or breathing rates of individual players to govern tempos and rhythms, rather than traditional time signatures.
Composer Biography
Richard Reed Parry, the composer, is widely known as a member of the Grammy® Award-winning band Arcade Fire, though he describes himself as a 'full-spectrum musician'.
Compositional Technique
To play in sync with their heartbeats, performers in Music for Heart and Breath wear stethoscopes, which also contributes to a generally quiet dynamic.
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