ROGER REYNOLDS: In the 1960s and 70s, as my use of texts was more frequent, Karen and I decided
that it would be useful to have texts that were complex or which involved montaging techniques
to be seen as well as heard. Karen undertook an elaborate process involving many stencils with different
fonts and point sizes, making individual slides that could be projected during performances.
Blind Men (1966) was written on a text derived from Melville’s Journal Up the Straits. At
nine places during the course of the work, textual passages were realized by the choir and
reinforced by Karen’s designed slides.
