But Remember What You Have Had II (2024); (2025; arr. Simon Aeschimann) 35′

'But Remember What You Have Had II' is an instrumental ensemble arrangement of Stephen O'Malley's original electroacoustic work 'But Remember What You Have Had', created in 2023 for the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM). Commissioned by Contrechamps and orchestrated by Simon Aeschimann, this new version transposes O'Malley's distinctive compositional language into an acoustic setting while preserving the immersive and spatial qualities of the original.Building on O'Malley's extensive experience as both a composer and performer, as well as his decades of studio production and mixing work across projects such as SUNN O))), KTL, and his solo practice, But Remember What You Have Had explores the intricate relationships between polyphony, intonation, timbre, and melody. Drawing from his unmistakable sonic universe of amplified textures, sustained instrumental tones, and raw physical energy, the work unfolds through rhythmic and cyclical motifs that gradually evolve over four movements, tracing a path from harmonic abstraction towards melodic emergence.'But Remember What You Have Had II' reimagines these compositional principles for an ensemble of flutes, horn, tuba, bass clarinet, double bass and four electric guitars. Conceived as an immersive spatial experience, the performers surround the audience across two levels, extending O'Malley's longstanding exploration of amplification, resonance, and collective listening. Rich in layered textures and subtle harmonic transformations, the work reveals the depth and versatility of O'Malley's musical language, marking a significant development with one of his most ambitious and compelling recent compositions.

Avaeken (2020) 20’

'Avaeken' (2020) is work by Stephen O'Malley for four electric guitars, commissioned by the Belgian electric guitar quartet ZWERM. Dedicated to organist Kali Malone and composer Alvin Lucier, the piece takes its name from the ancient Avaeken Oak on the Swedish island of Fårö—one of the oldest oak trees in Europe, with a history spanning more than a millennium. Inspired by the tree's extraordinary longevity, O'Malley conceived the work as a meditation on time, memory, endurance, and the physical presence of sound.As the composer explains, 'Avaeken' is "conceptually worked to test mental and physical memory of the compositional structure and sound pressure, and the flex sensation of time passing, familiarity and evaporation of sound." These ideas unfold through a highly refined exploration of microtonality and just intonation, in which each guitarist performs an independent tuning using standard electric guitars, e-bows, and slides. Sustained tones are executed with exceptional precision, avoiding incidental mechanical noise so that the natural harmonic colour shaped by the amplifiers can fully emerge.Each performer is assigned a dedicated amplifier positioned within the performance space, allowing the subtle beating patterns created by the interaction of precisely tuned harmonics to unfold architecturally throughout the room. Rather than relying on conventional melody or pulse, the work generates rhythm through harmonic interference, transforming the listening environment into a dynamic field of resonances that engage both the space and the audience's bodies.Throughout its twenty-minute duration, 'Avaeken' creates an immersive sonic experience in which slowly shifting structures circulate through the room with contemplative restraint and quiet intensity. Characteristic of O'Malley's broader artistic practice, the work investigates the relationships between amplification, resonance, spatial perception, and the physicality of listening, inviting audiences to experience sound as a living, temporal phenomenon.