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MUSICA
CONIUNCTA
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The
permanent project which I call Musica Coniuncta originated
some thirty years ago by serendipity. I had recorded
two pieces in mono from the radio at different times.
In order to save tape, the pieces were recorded on
the adjacent tracks at the beginning of the tape in
a two-track recorder. Only at some later time I realized
two things. First, the pieces had the same duration.
Second, and more important, they sounded incredibly
well fused when played together.
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The
latter discovery was so startling that I refrained from
doing anything about it, as if I had on hand a secret gift
that needed not to be revealed. Much later, after I timidly
tried intentional operations of the kind, and saw that they
could work, I decide to make a serious project of it.
Results of this activity are included in some of the YANTRA
private recordings having Musica Coniuncta as a subtitle.
The accidental combination that started it all sits in the
first track of the CD “Occasional Partners”. The
two pieces are “Lontano” by Ligeti and “Stop”
by Stockhausen. The gamelan and gamelan music play an important
role in the project, as they are present in the majority
of the “coniunctiones”. Purists should stay clear
of this area. Others might be surprised by the results and
even enjoy most or some of them. I discovered that Peter
Szendy in his book “Ecoute - Une histoire de nos oreilles”
has a few arguments that support or at least explain an
activity such as Musica Coniuncta.
A few words about technique and choice of pieces. After
the first unintentional chance operation,which was a complete
overlap for the entire duration of the pieces, the
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coupling needed to become flexible, often using
only portions of music, an moving them so as to
fit better with each other.
Occasional pitch adjustments are necessary, although
I tend to avoid them. The pieces are usually chosen
among the musics that I love best, searching more
often contrast than similarity. Sometimes respectful
irony is the motive.
The following are titles of private Musica Coniuncta
CDs, with some greater detail provided in the YANTRA
PRODUCTIONS page:
- Occasional Partners (14 tracks)
- The Java Connection (10 tracks)
- Mostly Mild Trances (14 tracks)
- Ancient Gamelan Primeval Voices (15 tracks)
- Hamza in Java (one 14-minute piece with Hamza
el Din’s Escalay and live
overdubs by Surakarta musicians)
- 9 Hours in 9 Minutes (a Feldman’s résumé)
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Gamelan
sounds and gamelan music play an important role in most of the undertakings
around this project. To listen to pieces of Musica Coniuncta
visit www.gamelan.cc
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