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8 years ago

Volume 7 Issue 2 - October 2001

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  • Toronto
  • October
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COMPOSER TO COMPOSER:

COMPOSER TO COMPOSER: ROBERT NORMANDEAU, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 single piece of acousmatic.music . has been evolving over a very electroacoustician, because there experience you can have, as there is .diff~rent, since you're ~orking long period of time. in a very is no censorship, you can use is nothing interfering. The With different sound matenals and complex way, and with a whatever sound you want, and aristocratic ritual of instrumental ;' each of these materials tells you sophisticated and complicated there isn't a coinrnon language, concert music is based on the star· something new. · The acousmatic language, which is at some point or recipes for how to work. The system, to see a soloist, and .~; music composer tries to explore very difficult to understand. In acousmatic composer has to deal electroacoustic music experience the intrinsic nature of sounds. acousmatic music, there is with the fact that at some point he has none of that. What is "cinema for the ear"? something that every single must establish boundaries, limits It's something I tried to develop listener oan relate to, because · on a specific wor:k. Type of How did you select the pieces in my Doctoral thesis 8 or 9 years they can find something that is sounds, etc. In my case I can't you 've chosen for this concert? ago, and doesn't apply to all common to their own sonic start working on 'll new piece acousmatic music. We share experience on a day to day basis. without a title, because the title some essential elements with People can establish a close includes so much information cinema, one of which is that we relationship with sounds because about the basic material. Then use a recorded medium. In some they recognize something about when I'm in my studio working, I books about cinema, people themselves. Because of these can stay close to my goal, and wrote that one of the basic points of reference, a listener can can make new sonic material and elements is editing, putting enter into the work more easily. musical choices according to the together pieces of film that in reality would never meet. In But this is by no means simple electroacoustic music, this is also music.·· ' a basic compositional technique, which allows you to put together Since I work on my pieces over a very different elements that create very long period of time, if they their own environment. And are too simple, I myself would be ~ith cinema we share sounds bored, and I am my first listener. from reality - we go on the street Because of that L build many with a tape recorder and later layers, so if people listen to it work with the material that more than one time they will find people recognize from their own more than just the basic level. sonic landscape, and remind them Embedded in this is also my of their own experience. feeling that as contemporary Through these sounds they can composers we have to seduce the reach into their own memories. audience. And at the same time, it's not a' music that is ABOUT reality. Exactly. This is not a documentary, not at all. It seems that illusion and stepping beyond the fundamental qualities of sound materials are essential . to the music. Absolutely. This is the main difference between the acousmatic music composition process and the sound ecology/ SOUfldscape point of view. Can we listen.to your music in the same way that we listen to J9h Century music? How do you want it tobe heard? The listener has to be openminded. This music is probably easier to listen to than contemporary instrumental music, and for a very simple reason. If you think about instrumental 'music, it Is this program music? Is there a narrative? At some point, for me as a · composer, it is always related to program music. The listener doesn't have to know about a particular story or narrative, but it's a way of working, like the choice of sound materials. The listener will notice that the piece is built around a limited collection of sound materials, but they will · ultimately build their own story, it doesn't have to be mine. I · want that openness, as it is also the way that I behave as a listener as well - I like it very much, and it brings me into a new, previously J,mheard musical world. Given the relative absence of pitch as a basic organizing principal, how do you maintain unity and cohesion in your pieces? That's a good quest,ion for an. 24 wholenote O c TOBER 1, 2001 - NovEMBER 7, 2001 chosen project.. Helmut Lachenmann wrote that when he (infrequently) projects sound through a loudspeaker, it is always symbolic of the death of the sound. For you it's ·seems quite the opposite. How do you project sound and deal with the space of the concert hall? . Over the centuries c.omposers dealt with different aspects of music, form, pitch, etc, and electroacoustic music deals so much with "space". Acousmatic music is based on the idea that the space is ESSENTIAL to the structure or form- it's neither cosmetic, optional nor superficial, but a basic element. When I present a piece that has been composed as a multi-charmel piece, a stereo version is a reduction, but with the concert version, space is fundamental. If you go to a cinema and see a film by Fellini, you will have a strong aesthetic experience, but if you watch this film on your television, I'm not quite sure that some basic elements of the Fellini experience won't be compromised. So why go to a concert where there are only speakers? There is a very fundamental experience, a rich sonic experience - you are surrounded by I was asked to present my own music {Le renard et la rose (1995), Malina (2000), Erinyes (2001)), and different aspects of acousmatic music showing a broad range from the last' 10 years. I also wanted to include other music from Montreal, ~o there is music by Francis · Dhomont (*Objets retrouves (1996), Phonurgie (1999)). For me, he was a real master during my student years, and now he is my close friend. I also chose Louis Dufort (Decap (2000)); When he came to the Universite de Montreal, where I teach, we all knew he was at the right place, that he was a composer. He has done very good work over the years, and his music is. quite challenging for us, since we · have the feeling that the younger · ·generation continues to produce good music, so we can't stay seated. Who comes to your conc(!rts? Many different people- they'~e getting younger and younger, and _' there's more and more brightly: ·· '' coloured.hair, etc. I think this .ls because of the "techno" scene.:·: They're listening to music that' is more like acousmatic music, though we don't have a beat. There is a cross between. these g~nres, ~d I believe that it's because the electroacoustic music scene is closer to the techno scene ;1nd the popular scene than to contemporary music. Presented by: New Music Concerts, speakers, and are in the concert The Music Galler(, Rien ~ voir. Details: Friday October 26,2001. a p.m. at space with many different people. Robert Gill Theatre (214 College St. The ritual of being seated with , (use St. George entrance)). As well, people who share with you the Robert Normandeau will present a same time, space, and experience Composition Forum at the Glenn Gould Professional School, The Royal is very important. This is Conservatory of Music (10:00 . 12:00) possibly the most musical Room M308, 273 Bloor St. West (at Bedford)

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