Name: Sarah Marie Bugeja

I.D: 301194M
Course B.A (Hons.) Music Studies


University of Malta
Music Studies Department




Composition programme note for
Egyptian Toast
by Sarah Marie Bugeja






Study Unit : Composing for Dance
Code: MSP2120
Lecturer: Dr.Veronique Vella
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Programme note for Egyptian Toast
by Sarah Marie Bugeja

The composition in itself is based on multiple ideas and aspects. It is done
digitally using various recording techniques in which I make use of both electronic
and acoustic sounds. The original idea came out from a sketch recording I had
once made but eventually the piece became something totally different and the only
instance where there is this starting point material is at the very end of the piece.. I
wanted the music to be very rhythmic since it is composed for dancers and in fact
the material previously mentioned consists of a 5,4 polymeter. At the same time I
wanted to use sound manipulation to create contrasting sounds with no rhythm.
Eventually the rhythmic elements, which were done first, inspired me to adapt the
music to an egyptian-african theme. For this particular composition I recorded
everyday life at my home for approximately twenty minutes. I then proceeded to
choose parts from the recording to manipulate and use in the music. At the time of
the recording my mother happened to be making some toast and eventually I
ended up using its crunch sound, together with some other sounds like the sound of
plates in the sink, my mother calling the dog and breathing. Apart from this I also
recorded myself singing in an ethnic style to be able to have a common theme in
the music since it has different sections. These recordings were also manipulated,
particularly with an echo effect to express the image of women singing in valleys
and mountains which create a particular sound effect in the distance and open
space.
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