“The first two letters of Aberdeen’s postcode (AB) imply a latent episodic musical structure to the Granite City that is made explicit in this piece. We are thrown from sonic encounter A to acoustic ambience B (via moments of dangerous articulation that seem to have the energy to provide such propulsion) and so ever onward towards Z. Whether we arrive is open to question (the lengthening nature of the episodes working against such a goal), and we most certainly never return to A. It is as if our journey has been somehow interrupted, like an accordion player assassinated in mid-squeeze…”

— Andrew Lewis [06]

ABZ/A was realized in the early part of 1998 at the composer’s studio and premiered on February 10, 1999 at Concordia University (Montréal). It was was commissioned by the BBC.

Composition

• 1998, Personal studio, Aberdeen (Scotland, UK)

Premiere

• February 10, 1999, ÉuCuE XVII — echoii: Concert 10 — Scotland, Wales, Salle de concert — Campus Loyola — Université Concordia, Montréal (Québec)

Mastering

• 2005, Dominique Bassal • Studio Inverse, Montréal (Québec)