Davidovsky/Kolb split release

Mario Davidovsky & Barbara Kolb - split release [Turnabout TV-S 34487]

* originally posted on March 10, 2007

Excerpts from the liner notes:

Side 1: Mario Davidovsky

"Synchronisms No. 6 for Piano and Electronic Sounds" was written for the pianist on this recording, Robert Miller, and was first performed at the Tanglewood Contemporary Music Festival in August 1970. It belongs to a series of compositions for electronically synthesized sounds in combination with the more conventional instrument. In this particular piece, the electronic sounds in many instances modulate the acoustical characteristics of the piano, by affecting its decay and attack characteristics. The electronic segment should perhaps not be viewed as an independent polyphonic line, but rather as if it were inlaid into the piano part. Generally speaking, in the whole series of these pieces, a coherent musical continuum is sought while trying to respect the idiosyncracies of each medium.

"Electronic Study No. 3 in Memoriam Edgar Varese" was completed in 1965 at the Electronic Music Center of Princeton and Columbia Universities. Primarily, the piece is constructed on its most basic level, using articulative processes available only in the electronic media. The intense concentration and speed of occuring events, together with the very sharp articulation characteristics of the piece, give it a very idiosyncratic texture.

"Synchronisms No. 5 for Percussion Ensemble and Electronic Sounds", was commissioned by the Thorne Music Fund, Inc. of New York City. It was completed in 1969. The percussion ensemble requires five players. The electronic sounds appear approximately three minutes into the piece from the beginning of the score, and run through to the end of the piece. As in the previous compositions in this series, one of the most obvious objectives of the composer is to create a homogeneous musical space with the combination of the two media, the electronic and the traditional instruments. The electronic sounds in many cases, extend and modulate the acoustical characteristics of the percussion instruments used by affecting their attack and delay characteristics. One could say, in general, that the characteristics of the electronic sounds here are percussive while the percussion instruments are, in most of the piece, treated as though they were melodic instruments. The piece is in one movement.

Side 2: Barbara Kolb

"Trobar Clus, to Lukas", was commissioned by the Berkshire Music Center and the Fromm Foundation. It is a Provencal poetic form which was developed by the Troubadors (Trobar meaning Troubador in Provencal) during the 11th and 12th centuries. Essentially, it is an uncrystallized Rondeau form, as Trobar Clus was the predecessor to the rondeau, and by its formative nature it allows one to be flexible within the boundaries of an exteremely free, yet (paradoxically) strict pattern.

The disposition of instruments relates to the variations of the internal form. Repetition functions more through the rotary recurrences of various groups of instruments than through a literal repetition of 'thematic' material. However, each group retains its own personality and proceeds in a continuous state of evolution just as one does in life.

One should feel a rather positive staticism. In other words, the work should convey various statements which are complete in themselves, yet imply continuation... perhaps, there is no ending...

"Solitaire for Piano and Vibes, to Dick and Nona Trythall for their wedding", is composed of 10 sections - each section equaling one-and-a-half minutes in duration. It was completed in collaboration with the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, with technical assistance by Paul Betjeman. The composition is constructed so that all capital letters, all lower case letters and all capitals to their lower case counterparts progress consecutively in a logical manner. For example: 1)ABC, etc., 2)abc, etc., 3)AaBbCc, etc.

There are three sequences which constitute one version. Two sequences are pre-recorded on tape with vibraphone which are then synchronized, using echo and filter devices sparingly. (The desired effect should be more of a tape collage rather than an electronic piece.) These two sequences superimposed constitute a working tape with which the performer practices. The "live" piano becomes the third sequence which completes a version.Any capital letter may begin the piece, thereby giving variety (without chance) to each performance, but other sequences may start with a lower case letter. A typical performance scheme (the one of this performance)

is:

Tape I A a B b C c D d E

Tape II C D E a b c

Performer A a B b C c D e

The above conveys a technique - a game of solitaire with neither motivation nor intent but to exist for and by itself; growing singly or

separately; not forming clusters or masses. A large flightless,

invisible bird... solitary...

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Mario Davidovsky - Synchronisms No. 6 {6:45}

2. Mario Davidovsky - Electronic Study No. 3 {5:10}

3. Mario Davidovsky - Synchronisms No. 5 {8:21}

Side 2

1. Barbara Kolb - Trobar Clus {9:41}

2. Barbara Kolb - Solitare for Piano, Vibraphone and Tape {13:06}

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