
2018 / Chamber Music
DURATION
6 minutes, 45 secondsINSTRUMENTATION
cello, piano
- Fake News (midi demo) 06:46
Programme Notes
When I was a kid, I couldn’t help it—sometimes I’d let one slip in public. And when that happened, the best way to deflect attention from the obvious was to shout, “Ooh, who farted???” as loudly as possible. That way, no one would suspect that I was the one responsible for the gaseous emission. A little misdirection, right?
It’s funny (or maybe not) how that same technique seems to be playing out in today’s political climate. If you want to be free to tell lies, all you need to do is scream that the media—the entire Fifth Estate—is made up of liars, cheats, and conspirators who peddle fake news. Shout it loud enough, and suddenly whatever you say is considered the “truth,” no questions asked.
Do these leaders really believe that the public is so gullible, so easily swayed, that they’ll never take the time to cross-reference the facts?
This composition is my response to the frenetic, disorienting, and deeply unsettling times we’re living through. The music reflects the chaos, the distortion of truth, and the unsettling sense of being trapped in a world where everything feels off-kilter and reality itself is under siege. It’s my attempt to capture the tension and unease of this moment—both personal and collective.
– Frank Horvat