The Numbers
The numbers form a rich collection of patterns which I’ve used in creating rhythmic work. They are systems which build on archetypal divisions of the world in art and wider culture to display how rhythm manifests in practice.
Each number has a verbal evocation of the characteristics of each item and a visual ‘alphabet’ of symbols representing the items.
They are:
The Two, a simple binary division.
The Four, a fourfold division on two different principles.
The Five, a cycle of stages
The Seven, seven complementary archetypes
The Eight, a fourfold cycle with two divisions for each stage
The Ten, complementary archetypes with a complex internal structure
The Twelve, complementary archetypes which are collected into four groups of three
The Twenty-two a long cycle with lots of internal structure