CAPTCHA

for Soprano and Piano

Written: 2013/2022
Duration: ca. 16'
Instrumentation: soprano and piano
Upcoming World Premiere: TBA
Publisher: Bill Holab Music

View Score | Sheet Music Available: TBA

Also available as a version for baritone and piano and mezzo-soprano and piano.


PROGRAM NOTE

CAPTCHA originated with an assignment I was given as a participant in the American Opera Projects (AOP) Composers & The Voice program. Throughout the year, we wrote a variety of arias and songs and were given various "challenges." Some of the challenges included using no more than four lines of text, using found text, using prose, and also trying to avoid the passagio (a term used in classical singing to describe where different voice ranges cross over, for example, where the chest voice and head voice cross). I neglected to incorporate any of the challenges into previous pieces, and I only had one song or aria left, so I had to incorporate all of the remaining challenges into a single piece.

For found text, I decided to use CAPTCHA texts. The term CAPTCHA (for Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart) was coined in 2000 by scientists at Carnegie Mellon University. A CAPTCHA is a program that protects websites against bots by generating and grading tests that only humans can pass. For example, humans can read distorted text presented as a graphic, but current computer programs cannot. To find interesting words and phrases, I spent many tedious hours in front of my computer loading CAPTCHA texts. Actually, what I ended using are reCAPTCHA texts, which are derived from a free version of CAPTCHA that uses combinations of real words from scanned books that need human confirmation and gibberish text.

I initially wrote one song entitled CAPTCHA for baritone and piano, but later decided to compose an entire song cycle that incorporates the original song. Each songs uses a few key words (the few that are actually real words and phrases) as a springboard. I attempt to phonetically interpret the other words and phrases that don’t make sense, infusing emotion where none exists. Ultimately, my goal is to create an emotionally moving experience, despite the nonsensical nature of the words.

  • CAPTCHA
    for Soprano and Piano

    duchenp fled

    duchenp fled; cens Overtanc
    ruralso Yea; political arofun
    1782, guilded; icserve incredulous
    alfari weeps; Devillu noun

    Henry folutch

    Henry folutch
    meitcha who
    officers ispelec
    cruel Otauten
    capture mancisea
    captured iturnp
    blood hreerdi
    Ancipart glass

    cemaeve armed
    varialla approaching
    invasion essiGen
    people toxless
    odomentr power
    higoopa 666

    youJusto nicely

    youJusto nicely
    position. patchedi
    Cherry iscibili
    yenvis touching
    Erectheum avoional
    Fillatio founded
    sfunclu gigantic
    pectsOR weighty
    Feervid LENGTH
    appears Flackl
    Improper ericsia
    galord short
    consequence veybord

    WhenRus comes
    riahot face
    bring towels

    Voix gustroor

    Voix gustroor
    voice niionss
    MUSICAL alengus
    harmonic nstryfl
    lieder riousMos
    irohom songs
    songs, wsxfolot

    buglehorns uldogne
    shown pothead
    cranial cialArc
    toIndit conduct
    cantsak ACTING
    calumny alsolo

    called awspes
    Sinfonie ngtinPe
    mezzo rtsFUS
    Dreamland ernowbt
    draem sppoll

    Secretary metadon

    Secretary metadon
    she cartell
    AND usedmeni
    admitted splense

    WILLIAM workorse
    octache barbarous
    rapedat treason
    thou Crustop

    lawastty REBECCA
    courcte expression
    operations naturE
    TIRESOME ostpter

    Petsra has
    orsrans charcoal
    Pesistri charcoal
    heckdin soul

    orypeue Robert
    Wslykmi Robert
    oongled ROBERT
    idDirct ROBERT
    apparently cDumber
    Inviews thee

    ranentri pronounces
    SEVEN atthats
    respecting tusMore
    uropley END.

    Texts by CAPTCHA (2012-13) via Project Gutenberg. Arranged by Robert Paterson. Texts in the public domain.

Press Quotes

“There’s Schumannian drama and melancholy in the song cycle “CAPTCHA” that opens this beautiful, witty and sometimes utterly desolate collection.”
— The New York Times
“Paterson’s knack for supreme vocal writing and effective, elegant structures becomes all the more apparent in CAPTCHA.”
— Broadway World
“Paterson’s quirky “CAPTCHA” cycle draws on computer-generated texts that have the effect of a modern-day “Jabberwocky.” Each is set expressively by Paterson, who latches onto words such as “blood” and “dream” to establish tone in music reminiscent of Ives.”
— New Jersey Star Ledger
“What really stands out within these pieces is the thought behind each cycle. The first cycle titled CAPTCHA produces a striking balance of nonsense and clarity. With repeated phrases such as “Robert ROBERT” and “oongled ROBERT” in a row shows the absurdity in how our existence is validated by machines. ”
— Buffablog