Augenblick was composed to honour Fiona, who died of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death at two months old on the 16th of May, 1982, sister of Marley Starskey Butler.
In 2023, Marley learned the identity of their father, Stephen Jeffers, just after his passing. Augenblick grew to include new notes composed for Stephen, along with the recorded sound of the rain that fell on his grave when Marley met him for the first time on April 18th, 2024.
The core of the work was written in 2017, with an early version performed that same year as part of a one-night contemporary dance performance at Nottingham Contemporary on July 29th. One of the four sections was also released as a standalone, both in 2017. A section also took other forms over time, but ultimately made its way back to Augenblick or toward Augenblick.
To honour Fiona and Stephen, here is Augenblick in its entirety. Taking on a life of its own over time, picking up audio artefacts along the way that could not be removed, it is an imperfect version, like life. Released on the day of Fiona’s death, 42 years later.
Listen: Here
Written, arranged, produced, mixed, and mastered by Marley Starskey Butler at the Hesse Unit in 2017 and the Porage Factory in 2025. The artwork is a page from the children's services records of Marley Starskey Butler.
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