Music for a Sculpture (Paradox)
From www.oscarvandillen.com
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Music for a sculpture, or Paradox, music for a sculpture (composed 2006-08 by Oscar van Dillen) was written for two percussionists, and is envisioned to be the first in a series of pieces to be performed on objects becoming instruments. In this way, Edgar Varèses old modernistic definition of music, i quote: music is organized sound, is subtly redefined by the highly skilled performance of musicians. Music is organized sound, performed by musicians expresses my own, more precise version of this general definition.
After careful deliberation and much experimentation i decided the performers should sit each on one side of this sculpture, which reminded me of wedja[1], therewith visually forming a kind of new hieroglyph, reminescent of the old Egyptian formula Ankh wedja seneb[2]
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(I have been fascinated by and learned to read and write basic Egyptian hieroglyphs since 14)
The composition thus requires the performers, in a way representing life and health, to sit on opposite sides of the bronze sculpture Major Sixth, which was the inspiration for this series, and conceived by its creator Harmen Brethouwer[3] from the very beginning as a sculpture to be used as a musical instrument. Brethouwer envisions to make larger versions still, for which other composers will also write, in the future. The composition Paradox, music for a sculpture is the result of a close collaboration between sculptor and composer.
After its worldpremiere on February 22 - 2008[4], a video registration by Rotterdam filmmaker Pieter Jan Smit has been part of the exhibition in the museum Boijmans van Beuningen, for the full duration of the exhibition until May 18 - 2008.
(text by Oscar van Dillen)
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Program text
A kind of Avant-Garde Worldmusic? Associations with Zen and African additive rhythms, but also with minimalism and a sonological approach, formally almost in the form of the performance of a North-Indian raga (alap, jor, jhala). The setting being composed as part of the fully notated score leads to a new kind of hieroglyph, in motion, now apparently searching, then synchronized, then exactly symmetrical again: intended for both ears and eyes.
(text by Oscar van Dillen)
Video credits
duration: 7 minutes 25 seconds
- Title: Music for a sculpture
- Concept & sculpture: Harmen Brethouwer[5]
- Composition 'Paradox, music for a sculpture': Oscar van Dillen
- Percussion: Claire Edwardes[6], Jeroen Geevers
- Sound: Charly van Rest[7]
- Image: Nino Purtskhvanidze[8]
- Direction & production: Pieter Jan Smit[9]
(The live worldpremiere was performed by Martijn Krijnen and Jeroen Geevers)
Images
For the score see Music for a Sculpture (Paradox).pdf
For other images see the gallery.
