Archive April 2006
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April 22, 2006
Perseverance
Muziekgebouw (Photo RV)Last night the ensembles Volharding and Doelenensemble teamed up for a concert in Het Muziekgebouw. The concert had a couple of surprises (at least for me).
To begin with Wim Lamans piece Vortex: it was much more interesting and entertaining than I expected. But the first piece after the break by Peter Andriaansz, Structures II, took me off guard. His stretch music really annoyed me while listening to it. Kind of the same reaction I had when I heard Phil Niblock's music in Ostrava.
But at some point, just before they played the final notes, I started to realize I liked the piece. And when they were done I was pretty amazed: I could have taken in some more. With ca. 20 minutes Structues II is actually too short!
Most people came however (I think) for Luca Francesconi's Body Electric. Francesconi composed his music with the Abu Grhaib prison abuses in mind. And although I am sure Francesconi is sincere in his intentions, his music uses too much brainpower. For me he overshoots his intentions, even with Irvine Arditti brushing his strings as he was doing.
While listening I lost the Abu Grhaib association within the first notes without being able to retrieve his real intentions.
For that matter, Arditti did have a better opportunity with Mary Finsterer's violin concerto Constans (composed in 1995), although the violin part did blend with the ensemble extremely well. So well, it submerged in the ensemble, despite the amplification.
Posted by Renske at 11:25 UTC | permanent link | Comments (0)
April 08, 2006
Carillon tower
Carillon tower, Town Hall, Hilversum
(Photo: Renske Vrolijk)When I go to work in Hilversum, each and everyday I pass a carillon encased in beautiful architecture. It is a modern 1958 instrument (equally tempered with the A @ 440kHz).
The tower, the instrument is placed in, is part of the modernist 1931 completed Town Hall (Raadhuis, see picture). Architect is Willem Dudok, who designed many modern buildings in Hilversum.
The carillon in this tower has a lot in common with the instrument I am writing for in Gdansk. Would be fun to have this new piece (I keep the title for myself, for now) performed in Hilversum as well!
Posted by Renske at 13:24 UTC | permanent link | Comments (0)
April 02, 2006
Historic tuning hazards
I am in the process of composing the carillon piece I am commissioned for by Frans Haagen (with support of the FST). It brings me smack in the middle of history of tuning.
As with organs, carillons can be as diverse as can be. While the work I am composing right now is intended for the St Catherine's Church carillon in Gdansk, Frans Haagen usually plays on the instrument in the 17th century Nieuwe Toren (New Tower) in Kampen.
Where the Gdansk instrument has an equally tempered tuning with the A being 440kHz, his own instrument has a meantone temperament with the A tuned at 415kHz.
As a Western socialized world citizen, I have strong preference for an equally tempered tuning as far as it concerns my own music. But writing a tonal piece with a soundtrack for an instrument with the historic proportions as the carillon, I am forced to find solutions to make sure my new composition works on different instruments.
Posted by Renske at 20:39 UTC | permanent link | Comments (0)