Music for Solo Performer (1964-1965) for Enormously Amplified Brain Waves and Percussion, was the first work to feature sounds generated by brain waves in live performance; biological stimuli played an increasing role in Lucier’s subsequent work as well. Sferics is the shortened term for atmospherics, natural radio-frequency emissions in the ionosphere, caused by electromagnetic energy radiated from nearby or distant lightning. “Sferics” was recorded by the composer on August 27, 1981, in Church Park, Colorado. The sound material was collected continuously from midnight to dawn with a pair of homemade antennas and a stereo cassette tape recorder. At regular intervals the antennas were repositioned in order to explore the directivity of the propagated signals and to shift the stereo field.

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