Four Systems

Four realizations of Earle Brown’s 1954 graphic score

Four Systems (1954) is an early work in Earle Brown’s development of open-form composition, notated through graphic means rather than fixed musical prescription. This recording presents four distinct realizations, each tracing a different structural path through the score’s visual architecture.

The work may be performed by any number of musicians and for any agreed duration, with performers determining the unfolding of events in real time.

Each realization emerges through interpretation and interaction, guided by the score’s spatial design rather than conventional notation, revealing the structural flexibility inherent in Brown’s open-form practice.

Released on Simple Harmonic Motion Records in 2026