Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!well!rchrd
From: rchrd@well.UUCP (Richard Friedman)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Spectral Composition (Re:)
Message-ID: <14608@well.UUCP>
Date: 17 Nov 89 18:03:27 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: RCHRD 2855 Telegraph #415 Berkeley CA 94705
Lines: 59


Those interested in "spectral composition" should become aware of
the work of the Romanian composer (living in Paris, and who considers
himself now French) Horatiu Radulescu.  Most of his pieces for large and
small ensembles over the past 15 years have required altering the
tunings of the instruments to create entirely new and unusual sonic
spaces.

His most outrageous piece (which may soon be released in CD) is called
    "Infinite to be cannot be infinite -
      infinte anti-be could be infinite."
 It is his opus 33 and was composed between 1976 - 1987 and is for
nine string quartets or a live string quartet surrounded by 8 recorded
string quartets.  It was performed a few years ago (with the Arditti
quartet both live and recorded) at a festival of new music in London.

Radulescu, in this piece, treats the 8 pre-recorded string quartets as
an imaginary 128 stringed instrument using what he calls a "spectral
scordatura of 128 different and unique pitches corresponding to a harmonic
spectrum (components 36 to 641).  The tuning of this 'viola da gamba' with
128 differently tuned strings (tuning based on a logarithmic division
of the octaves by 8,16,32,64,etc) forms a variably dense 'geology' of
frequency plateaux.  The gambit of this instrument is based on a C
fundamental of 1Hz.  The central (live) quartet is tuned in a'=431Hz."

The above description is taken from notes Radulescu gave me recently
regarding "Infinite..."   His language is hard to understand at times,
but the music is not easily describable.  I have a tape of the piece,
but I am told that to hear it in person is another experience.  The
live quartet is in the center of the hall, the audience sits around
the quartet,  and the speakers for the 8 recorded quartets surround the
audience.  

What you hear is a wash of sound, like glass wind chimes, shimmering.
These intervals create what Radulescu calls "micro-music", caused by the
beats between notes, evoking rhythmic cycles all their own.

At present, none of Radulescu's music (over 70 works) is available on
recordings, altho he is often performed thru out Europe, but he tells
me that recordings will be coming out next year in Paris and Berlin.

So, it is possible to compose and perform "spectral" music on
traditional instruments, if you can convince the players to mis-tune
a bit.

Last June I interviewed Radulescu on KPFA here in Berkeley and
presented some of his pieces from recordings he brought of live
performances.  It was quite extraordinary.  I understand that the
score for "Infinite.." was produced by computer but I was not able
to determine in what way.  More information will be coming.


 /s/ rchrd <=> Richard Friedman <=>  rchrd@well
 rchrd@well.sf.ca.us | {apple,pacbell,hplabs,ucbvax}!well!rchrd
-- 
 /s/ rchrd <=> Richard Friedman <=>  rchrd@well
 rchrd@well.sf.ca.us | {apple,pacbell,hplabs,ucbvax}!well!rchrd
 [Pacific-Sierra Research / Berkeley CA] (415) 540-5216
 (The usual disclaimers apply - I speak only for myself!)