Sharp, Elliott - Rheo-Umbra (Mega Blowout Sale)
SKU
Neos 40706
"Flow of shadows" is how I would translate the composite neolog title of this 1997 work for Orchestra Carbon and how I might describe the musical gestures therein.
In seven sections, Rheo~Umbra layers through-composed materials, algorithmic strategies for the ensemble, and improvisations by various soloists. The algorithmic approaches include the "transient additive pulse" where a percussive hit and its reverberations morph into a pulsing groove. There are also hockets and phased looping / transformation of the composed material designed to gradually translate the horizontal - notes and lines - into vertical simultaneities. The overall sound design of the composition is an important structural element with the two keyboardists playing samples constructed by me and derived from my own extended techniques on soprano saxophone and bass clarinet as well as an array of sounds produced on the slabs, sounds then layered with their "live" manifestations.
The slabs, constructed in 1982, are horizontal basses with four strings, a moveable bridge (to yield different tuning ratios), and pickups at each end with separate outputs (to yield stereo fields.) There are three in total used variously in the smaller Carbon ensembles, in the Orchestra Carbon performance of Larynx (sometimes all three slabs simultaneously) and in various solo projects. When I began to perform my Virtual Stance solo in 1986 with an IVL Pitchrider pitch-to-MIDI system driving an Ensoniq Mirage and later a Roland S330 sampler, I made an extensive library of slab sounds to eliminate the need to carry this bulky and somewhat irascible instrument.
Some sounds, however, just cannot be duplicated with sampling and I had long thought about composing a piece that would well utilize the instrument. In addition to the slab, I perform on fretless electric guitar. This particular instrument is an inexpensive imported Norma that I defretted in 1973.
This version of Orchestra Carbon is an expansion of the quintet that performed actively and toured relentlessly in Europe, Japan, and the United States beginning in the Autumn of 1992: Zeena Parkins, David Weinstein, Marc Sloan, and Joseph Trump. Each member brings unique talents both as interpreter of the composer's intent and as improviser, adding a layer of personal commentary and extrapolation to the score. I had long collaborated with the Soldier String Quartet and their ability to meld into the ensemble is exemplary. This version of the SSQ includes David Soldier and Sara Parkins violin, Judith Insell viola, and Rufus Cappadocia cello. Finally, the two virtuosic bass clarinetists, Tim Smith and Evan Spritzer add unmatched harmonic and melodic texture.
Rheo~Umbra received its premiere performances at the Knitting Factory in NYC on March 13, 1997. The two sets were recorded to 16 track digital by Bryce Goggin and later mixed at Studio zOaR. This CD represents the second set of that evening in its entirety without edits."
- LabelNeos
- UPC4260063407062