Denis Smalley - Impacts intérieurs
An important distinguishing feature of the five works on this compact disc is the relationship between gesture and texture. Musical gesture, derived from our experience of physical gesture, is concerned with the tendency for soundshapes to move towards or away from goals in the musical structure; it is concerned with growth, temporal evolution, sense of forward direction, the impact of events, dramatic surface. Texture, however, is more about interior activity, the patterns inside sounds, about encouraging the ear to contemplate inner details; it is often more about standing still and observing the behaviors of sounds rather than pressing onwards through time. Gesture can be textured, and textures can be formed from gestures - the interplay and balance between them lie at the heart of our experiences in musical time. (Denis Smalley, September 1992)
About Denis Smalley (from the liner notes)
Denis Smalley's musical output is made up entirely of electroacoustic works, many of which have received international prizes - the Fylkingen Prize (1975), awards at the Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition (1977, 83, 92), the Special Prize of the International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music (1983), and the Prix Ars Electronica (1988). In his writings and lectures he has made original contributions to the field of electroacoustic music, in particular his investigations into the listener's perception and interpretation of electroacoustic music, and his development of the notion of 'spectromorphology' (the shaping of sound spectra through time).
He was born in Nelson (New Zealand) in 1946. Having showed early talent as a chorister, pianist and organist he first studied music at the University of Canterbury, moving to the Victoria University of Wellington to take a first class honors degree in composition. He was also active as a recital organist giving the first New Zealand performances of music by Messiaen and Ligeti. After leaving university he was Head of Music at Wellington College for almost three years before receiving a French Government bursary for study in Paris where he spent a year in Messiaen's composition class at the Conservatoire de Paris. At the same time he took the electroacoustic composition 'workshop' of the Groupe de recherches musicales (GRM), completing the Diplome de musique electroacoustique et de recherche musicale. He next settled in York (United Kingdom), completing his doctorate in composition at the University of York. In 1976 he was appointed Lecturer in Music at the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UK). In 1988, he became Senior Lecturer and also the Director of its Electroacoustic Music Studio.
Tracklisting:
1. Valley Flow {16:57}
(1991-1992)
2. Piano Nets: 1st Movement {6:57}
(1990-1991) Philip Mead - piano (all Piano Nets movements)
3. Piano Nets: 2nd Movement {4:19}
4. Piano Nets: 3rd Movement {6:38}
5. Wind Chimes {15:15}
(1987)
6. Clarinet Threads {13:28}
(1985) Roger Heaton - clarinet
7. Darkness After Time's Colours {13:58}
(1976)
(1) (2)
Great, thanks!
ReplyDeleteAnother excellent post from a great label...
Would be delighted if Sources/Scènes were to put in an appearance in A Closet at some future point...
That could be arranged.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it will be likely sometime later next month when I'll get around to posting Sources/Scenes.
wow. thank you so much for posting. I've been reading his articles lately but have not heard his work yet--thank you.
ReplyDeletemerci
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