Invocation for Mixed Ensemble

[Stephane Boussuge]

Here's my new piece, Invocation for mixed ensemble.

 

Invocation

 

Stephane

 

[David]

I'm finding this a very atmospheric and individual work, although during the first run through, I'm not sure I can entirely follow the structure yet and perhaps there could be a bit more textural and rhythmical variety --- perhaps a few notes on the piece might be helpful. One thing that does annoy me though is that, although the work is called an Invocation, it's written for a chamber ensemble yet sounds as if it was being played in a cave or something -- it's far too reverberant for my taste although I can perhaps understand why you wanted that effect.

[Stephane Boussuge]

Thank you very much for your constructive comment.

The piece is on 3 part, each part based on a Hauer trope (kind of pitch collection) in various transposition and transformations, each of the 3 parts is buit as 8 sections of different sizes exploring different configuration of the trope used for the part using mainly motivic couterpoint. 

About the name of the piece, it is more about my internal mood during the composition of the piece than something embeded into the piece excepted the 3 parts structure.

For the reverberation, may be i will try another setting, more dry, i will experiment.

Sorry for my bad English.

SB. 

[David]

thanks for the explanation, Stephane. I'll bear that in mind when returning to the work. There's nothing at all wrong with your English!

 

[Raymond Jacob]

Hi, Stephane - this work grew on me over four or five listens. Something compelled me to retun to it every several days since you posted it. Your answer to David's comment provided the important clue for me which was to look up Josef Hauer, and understand what drove him, and how that influenced your writing here. Thank you for posting this work. It impacted me and I've gained something from it. -Ray

[Stephane Boussuge]

Dear Ray , thank you very much for your kind comment. I'm happy you appreciate it.

Best

stephane

[David]

it's interesting that Hauer's who, quoting from Wikipedia,  "detested all art that expressed ideas, programmes or feelings,"^[2] instead believing that it was "essential...to raise music to its highest...level," ^[3] a, "purely spiritual, supersensual music composed according to impersonal rules,"  has more or less the exact opposite of my musical philosophy. I also have little interest in twelve tone music per se (which doesn't mean I dislike all twelve tone pieces -- far from it). And yet you've managed to create something rather fascinating here and I'm starting to have a look at further offerings. Is it true that this "Invocation" is one of your most elaborate works -- many of the pieces on Soundcloud seem quite short?

[Stephane Boussuge]

Dear David,

  indeed it is by far my most elaborated piece.

About Hauer and his desire to cancel expression, i think i (try) to do the exact opposite, just using his Tropes as a way to express my own feelings. 

What appeal me with the Tropes was the possibility to use a system who give coherence to the piece and in the same time a lot of creatives and combinatorial possibilities.

S

[David]

it's certainly interesting that you are using some Hauerian techniques to express something which is artistically far removed from his expressed aesthetic. And it seems to me you've succeeded here as the work seems quite emotional -- probably the reason I like it.I still think this particular piece requires a drier acoustic but perhaps you'll update the thread if you find a way to change this (and of course if you're happy with it then you can ignore me anyway)

 

[Stephane Boussuge]

Hi David,

i replaced the file with a new one with less reverb ;-)

Stephane