Diagramm#1 (2013)

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Based on the Diagram-Sodomka by Adelheid Mers, 2012
 

First performance:
as part of the project „Sous nos yeux“ curated by Abdellah Karroum at Kunsthalle of Mulhouse (F)

First broadcast: Radioapartment 22, Rabat, Marocco



My method of composition

On the one hand it was important for me to ’play’ the diagrm as a score. To interpret the notation most presicely. To follow the given lines. On the other hand I aimed for the largest possible absence of intention in my interpretation through sound. That means: not to think much about why I select which sound with which electroacoustic manipulation in which tempo. I followed those intuitions as disciplined as I possibly could.


The sound basis of the composition is recordings of 3 stirng instruments: Cello, Violin, double bass, one sound each. These were modified electro acoustically by ’freezing’ very short excerpts of the instrumental sounds. What resulted are 3 virtual instruments (1 sound each, approximately d1), each of which has the sound characteristis of all three instruments, in different tempers.


These 3 lines - actually 2: subj and obj with a link/sound entanglement in between - flowed together and in the matrix were further divided into their constituent parts and again differently recombined.


Simultaneously with this new mix the sound is separating into smaller and smaller particles. What is left is a polyrhythm that consists of ’grains’ - the smallest particles - of the original sounds. The rhythm is irregular, very queer. To make it audible as a rhythmic experience I added very straightforward machine generated bars in a last step, even though that was not what I had intended. To me, this polyrhythm also means that different parts don’t necessarily mix or flow into each other, but can be selectively used: rhythmically. In any case the sounds are identical from beginning to end, but in different conditions, combination and timings.



Translation: Adelheid Mers