As the antithesis of Farr's previous works for STRIKE Percussion such as Pukul (PE096) and Ukare Funk (PE129) which exude machismo through large multi-percussion setups and high energy playing, Tubes restricts each player to one simple instrument producing one pitch. Farr utilises the interlocking playing techniques of Balinese gamelan music to create the illusion of one polyphonic instrument from the four performers. The incessant pulse often found in Farr's music is constant throughout.
Tubes uses four pieces of aluminium pipe, and draws on Balinese interlocking techniques for some of its material. I particularly love the idea of creating interesting sounds with junk - the concept that you can create beautiful music with stuff that isn't worth anything, financially speaking. Despite the simplicity of the concept, the piece is incredibly difficult to play - all four players have to play as if they were one person.
