Ayehli was written for marimbist Paul Cox. The title is the Cherokee word for twin; the literal translation is "other wing". For me it speaks to the relationship between the marimba and the electronic sounds; rising out of and falling into one another, melting together, always close.
The two primary sound sources for the electronic part are marimba, and recordings from the "Ground Zero" site in New York City, taken at sunrise one morning last December. My intention in using this soundscape material was to transform the results of a tragedy into something more positive and beautiful.
Ayehli is available on Innova Recordings 662 (Alexandra Gardner, Luminoso)
Robert Armengol, marimba
marimba (5-octave)
pre-recorded tape (CD or laptop)
Duration: 12 minutes
Premiere: March 17, 2003
Contemporary Music Forum at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Commissioned by: Paul Cox