In German, two colors are said to "bite each other” (sich beißen) when they are similar, but not identical, and thus do not match. Red and Pink! When are two colors equal, when are they identical and when do they contrast? If two colors contrast, they suit each other, but do they still fit each other if a third color joins them?
What a difficult, yet wonderful art it is to comprehend how colors work and how they relate to each other! The acoustic science helps us to understand what a timbre is. Using this science, we understand that timbre is also defined, to a large extent, by the time during which it exists; this is a very important point for me.
But the fact that two colors do not match, contrast or conjure an opposition to one another has to do with the general theory of aesthetics that makes an argument regardless of the type of sensory impression.
Visual equivalents were very important to me in this composition.
But although for me color in this composition ("timbre", “the color of sound” – in German: Klangfarbe – but in a more general sense, which also involves rhythm and space) is in the foreground, the compositional preparations were not about visual color studies, but uncolored graphics instead.
Computer graphics in black and white, with sharp and clear edges, with regular and calculated numerical proportions.
This, however, is a contradiction. The perception of timbre is never really exact; instead it always remains somewhat unclear. And it is exactly this, I believe, that requires a clear approach to rid timbre of its own impreciseness.
There is a section at the beginning of the second set, in which the possible timbres of the piece are listed musically in a kind of keyword index.
The list, however, is not in alphabetical order, because otherwise “red” would very often occur right next to "pink".
Instead, three consecutive figures always are contrasted with one another.
A computer algorithm determines the contrast and the distance.
The keyword index is the heart of the piece; the timbres and textures introduced there determine the whole work.
At the end of the first set, on the other hand, there is a hiking song.
The electronic part of this piece is based exclusively on live electronics, i.e. on the transformation of instrumental sound.
For lengthy passages, the live electronics takes on a kind of auto analytic function.
I recall the structure once again and recreate it anew.
I often understand it in a different than the time before.
The newly supervening live electronics exposes the connections and the layers that are in the instrumental text.
Like a musicologist who wants to illustrate the structure of a piece, I have highlighted the music in color.
Often, a figure which was originally fragmented and distributed onto many instruments, is reassembled by the live electronics again. Sometimes, though, the electronics works independently and makes music a little for itself. For the essence of live electronics, this is actually strange, since it cannot exist without the sound of the instruments that it is transforming.
Ensemble Itineraire IRCAM 1995
C-flute,
clarinet in B-flat,
contrabassoon,
tenor trombone,
accordeon,
guitar,
viola,
violoncello,
percussion 1 (vibraphone, crotales, snare drum)
percussion 2 (marimbaphone, Tamtam, kettle drum),
trigger keyboard
