Evolutions and Contrasts

Henk Badings and Dick Raaijmakers - Evolutions and Contrasts

Equipment and instruments used:

CAPRICCIO: violin, 12 oscillators

GENESE: 5 audio-frequency oscillators

EVOLUTIONS: sine wave generators, sawtooth generator, noise generator, pulse generators, modulators, filters, reverberation apparatus, concrete sound sources

CONTRASTS: the electronic part of the Ondes Martenot, pulse generator with resonance circuits, noise generator, octave- and half octave-filters

About the music:

CAPRICCIO: The "Capriccio" for violin and two (electromagnetic) sound tracks was composed in 1952, and was first performed in the same year at the Gravesano (Switzerland) Music Festival. The violin part was played by Joke Vermeulen, who is also the soloist in this recording. The work represents one of the first attempts to combine a traditional instrument with electronic music. The accompaniment was realized exclusively with twelve oscillators.

This Capriccio is really a miniature violin concerto with an introduction, a whimsical principal movement, a slow movement, and a finale which contains virtuoso passages. However, although the work falls into four sections, the music is continuous. (Henk Badings)

GENESE: "Genese" was composed in 1958, and performed for the first time at a concert of experimental music during the World Exhibition in Brussels. The sounds were formed exclusively through the use of five audio-frequency oscillators, each apparatus capable of producing a single harmonic vibration.

"Genese" comprises three movements: an introduction, a slow movement, and a finale. The introduction is based on two forms of sound, the one low and menacing, the other high, metallic, and flashing.

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The original composition was realized in four sound tracks. When these are played through loudspeakers, one in each of the four corners of a hall, the sound flows spatially round the listener. In this recording the sound flow has been reduced to two components.

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Like "Evolutions" and "Capriccio", "Genese" was realized by me with the technical assistance of Dick Raaijmakers in Philips' physics laboratory, Eindhoven. (Henk Badings)

EVOLUTIONS: "Evolutions" is a suite of short electronic pieces whose elements of contrast on the one hand and of relationship and integrated development on the other render them well suited to serve as ballet music. They were composed in 1958, and performed in the same year by the Hanover Opera Ballet to a choreography by Yvonne Georgi.

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The most remarkable feature of performances of "Evolutions" has perhaps been that this electronic music, sounding from loudspeakers, has had to compete with music played by a symphony orchestra. This was the case, for example, in Rome and Vienna. In Vienna it was performed in the State Opera House, a place rich in venerable traditions. The discussions beforehand in the Viennese press left no doubt as to the expectations. "Entehrung der heiligen Hallen" )"desecration of the sacred halls"), ran some of the headlines; but the evening of March 24, 1959, passed otherwise. Press and public voted in favor of electronic music, not in favor of the Vienna Philharmonic. "This fantastic-sounding and fantastically-danced vision of the future received, to the surprise of all, tempestuous applause from the conservative Viennese opera audience, and was undoubtedly the most important event of this season at the Vienna State Opera." This opinion of one critic represented the verdict of the majority...

Another notable fact appears from this review: opinions of the other works on the program were sometimes rather doubtful, but opinions of "Evolutions" were either decidedly positive or, in a few case, decidedly negative.

The entire apparratus of the studio of Philips' physics laboratory at Eindhoven was used in the composition of "Evolutions". (Henk Badings)

CONTRASTS: "Contrasts" (the original title, "Tweeklank", literally means "Two-note-chord") is based on the mutual opposition of contrasting musical quantities such as sound, rhythm and dramatic forms. It consists of a first movement written in conventional style and a second movement constructed as a "typical" electronic play of rhythm and sound, without either harmonic or melodic properties. (Dick Raaijmakers)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Henk Badings - Capriccio for Violin and Two Sound Tracks {7:21}

2. Henk Badings - Genese {9:53}

Side 2

1. Henk Badings - Evolutions-Ballet Suite: Overture {2:15}

2. Henk Badings - Evolutions-Ballet Suite: Air {2:23}

3. Henk Badings - Evolutions-Ballet Suite: Ragtime {3:28}

4. Henk Badings - Evolutions-Ballet Suite: Intermezzo {1:28}

5. Henk Badings - Evolutions-Ballet Suite: Waltz {2:13}

6. Henk Badings - Evolutions-Ballet Suite: Finale {1:37}

7. Dick Raaijmakers - Contrasts {4:48}

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