TAђDIT

              surrounded by sound in a black box

Imagine a dark space, one spot on a flautist, eight speakers channelling different sounds, cushions on the floor, forty voices surrounding the audience in eight choirs on speakers, bell sounds, polyphony, chant, boys’ voices…  A space for listeners to be enwrapped by sound – when the senses are heightened by the lack of light, and several voices are speaking all at once, exchanging polyphonic lines in one space via electronics.  

The first night will be opened with a live performance by exciting flautist Kathryn Williams, whose work explores tangible connections between instrument and body, interrogating ideas around accessibility and physical limitation. I knew I wanted to include Jonathan Harvey’s Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco (I Mourn the Dead, I Call the Living) for electronics, as well as Kaija Saariaho’s NoaNoa for solo flute and electronics, so I built the programme around this.  They will both be a Malta premiere.  

Programme

Jonathan Harvey Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco (Malta Premiere)

Claude Debussy Syrinx (played tonight on bass flute)

Ruben Zahra Initiation, for solo bass flute

Albert Garzia Halloween Sugar Rush, for toy piano and electronics

Veronique Vella W.A.R. – When Angels Rest, for toy piano and music box (first mvmt)

Paul Max Edlin Purgatorio, for electronics (World Premiere)

Johann Sebastian Bach Bourrée Anglaise (from ‘Partita in A minor, BWV 1013’)

Luc Houtkamp Disco (from ‘Suite in the Old Style’)

Atau Tanaka Echolocate, for toy piano and harmonising delay

Thomas Tallis Spem in Alium, a multitrack rendition by ORA SINGERS (Harmonia Mundi)

Discussions ensued and I am thrilled that, in collaboration with Faber, IRCAM agreed to prepare the sound files for the Harvey. Harvey writes that this work is a reflection his experiences at Winchester Cathedral where his son was a chorister, and is based on his voice and that of the great tenor bell – its rich, irregular harmonic spectrum, a structure neither tonal nor dodecaphonic nor modal in any western or oriental sense, but unique to itself. The eight sections are each based on one of the principal eight lowest partials. Chords are constructed from the repertoire of 33 partials; modulations from one area of the spectrum to another are affected by glissandi. Constant transformations between the spectrum of a vocal vowel and that of the bell are made by internal manipulation of the two sounds’ components. The walls of the concert hall are conceived as the sides of the bell inside which is the audience, and around which (especially in the original 8-channel version we shall be experiencing tonight) flies the free spirit of the boy. The work was commissioned for IRCAM by the Centre Georges Pompidou and first performed at the IRCAM day in the Lille Festival on 30 November 1980. It was made at IRCAM with the helpful assistance of Stanley Haynes in July-August 1980.

In NoaNoa (Fragrant, 1992) Saariaho wanted to exaggerate – even abuse – certain flute mannerisms that had been haunting her for years.  The title refers to a woodcut by Paul Gauguin, and to a travel diary of the same name, written by Gauguin during his visit to Tahiti. Kaija Saariaho uses fragments of phrases selected for the voice part from this diary. The electronics were developed together with Jean-Baptiste Barrière (Saariaho’s husband), and programmed by Xavier Chabot.

Alongside this, knowing Kathryn’s virtuosity on her instrument, and her familiarity with the music of today, I asked her for an iconic influential and undisputed masterpiece of contemporary music for solo flute such as the Berio Sequenza, or Ferneyhough’s Cassandra’s Dream.  We opted for the latter, as it will also be a Maltese premiere.  The programme would not be complete without a work by a Maltese composer – in this case Ruben Zahra’s Initiation for solo bass flute - the first movement of his suite for flute and percussion entitled Spirall. 

Continuing the idea of sound split across channels enveloping the audience and using the Harvey and polyphony as both spatial set-up and inspiration, I knew immediately that I had to commission a work from Paul Max Edlin. I gave Paul a brief. The result exceeded even my expectations.   Paul writes: ‘This work takes us to a literally imagined purgatory, where heaven and hell are equidistant. Its inspiration comes from two principal sources: Dante's 'La Divina Commedia' and Gustav Mahler's tenth symphony (which in turn is part inspired by Dante's work). It uses musical material from Mahler's final statement, which I had got to know extraordinarily well, having just completed a performing version of the composer's original draft score.  This electronic work uses sample sounds of conventional instruments, but taken to extreme registers they cannot play in and using notes (quarter tones) that are also unavailable to many. It is therefore a work rooted in real sounds, yet is surreal by virtue of its impossibilities. The listener should feel caught in a state of unearthly stasis: one that is neither benign, threatening or comforting, yet contains sounds that are forbidding alongside others that seem like rays of transcendental and comforting beauty. Ultimately, it is a place one does not wish to take too long to pass through.’ As the audience can move around, or sit on cushions or in chairs in this candle-lit black box with slick, minimal light design by Pamela Kerr, and scents wafting, I wanted to project images of Purgatory - sketches, drawings… works by Botticelli, Gustave Dore', Blake, Dali', muted colours and pencil projected on the walls made into a film by Ruben Zahra, will take the audience into different artists’ visions of Dante’s journey.

Brian Ferneyhough’s Cassandra's Dream Song takes us to Greek mythology – the conflict and tension between Apollo and Cassandra, portrayed here through extended techniques and incredible demands of the player, sections of which the composer himself admits are ‘not literally realisable’.  The performer is ultimately the person in charge with the freedom of choice as to the order in which the segments of the piece are to be performed.  However, the work is not only technically verging on the impossible, but emotionally challenging.  Cassandra was cursed (after breaking her promise to Apollo) with the inability to be believed. The music represents her attempt to speak and express herself, an intense struggle against the limitations of the curse, and the instrument itself.

Interspersed throughout the programme are very short works following a call for scores for works that can be played in one breath (one inhale, one exhale) – Kathryn’s hallmark ‘Coming up for air’ project – this time extended to Maltese composers.

Concluding the first night and starting the loop which will continue throughout the installation, is Thomas Tallis’ Spem in Alium (in no other is my hope) – the ground-breaking, monumental c-16th work – a motet considered to be one of the finest pieces of English choral music ever written.  As a proud Trustee of the award-winning ORA Singers, I was privileged to be at our recording of this seminal work, together with a new commission by James Macmillan, also for 40 voices.  40voices – 8 choirs – therefore 8 channels.  I had to link this to the Harvey set-up, and following long discussions and locating the multitrack recording, we have the master set from Harmonia Mundi split into the eight channels as recorded during our session at All Hallow’s in London.  

The loop then continues with Aldo Clementi’s (‘the last surviving member of the generation of Italian composers that also included Berio, Maderna, Donatoni and Castiglioni, all of whom created their own distinctive perspectives on postwar serialism and its consequences’ – Andrew Clements, The Guardian) work for twelve flutes – an overture for 3 piccolos, 6 flutes, and 3 alto flutes – a work of intricate counterpoint – all played by Kathryn Williams and diffused to our available channels for this installation. Artist profile

Laura Cioffi Maltese born, Glasgow-based flautist Laura Cioffi has performed all over the UK, from the back of a trailer van in the Highlands to the 02 arena in London. She started her studies at the Malta School of Music with Silvio and Ramona Zammit, before continuing at Edinburgh Napier University with Andrea Kuypers and Trinity Laban with Anna Noakes and Chris Green.

She performs for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Opera, London City Philharmonic, London Gay Symphony Orchestra, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, VIBE as well as the Improvisers' Orchestras in Glasgow and London. She has appeared as concerto soloist with the Towpath Camerata, and behind famous names like Andrea Bocelli, Bryn Terfel, Hans Zimmer and Billie Eilish. Her practice portfolio includes historically-informed performance on Baroque flute, orchestral and recording work (available on Spotify and Bandcamp), solo recitals, and contemporary and improvisation work with a particular emphasis on creative collaboration.

Laura balances her performing work with teaching at Dollar Academy, Sistema Scotland, and at her old alma mater, Edinburgh Napier University. Outside of music, Laura will take recommendations for audiobooks (to listen to on long journeys) and coffee shops (to fuel said long journeys).

Tricia Dawn Williams

Tricia Dawn Williams is a Maltese pianist of Irish and Welsh descent who is passionate about contemporary music, multimedia and new technologies. She creates innovative and immersive performances that combine video-art, electronic music and extended piano techniques. ppIANISSIMO Festival in Sofia, De Doelen in Rotterdam, Meervart Musiktheater in Amsterdam, International Izmir Festival in Turkey, Oxford Festival of the Arts in UK, Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy and at Satosphère – Société des arts technologiquesrounds.

Williams has performed in prestigious venues and festivals around the world, such as Les Invalides in Paris, Béla Bartόk Memorial House in Budapest, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, The Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Den Jyske Opera in Aarhus, Arena New Music Festival in Riga, European Capital of Cultures in Pafos and Lithuania, Festival International de Carthage in Tunis, John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, Cape Town Festival in South Africa, Riverside Theatre in Sydney, ppIANISSIMO Festival in Sofia, De Doelen in Rotterdam, Meervart Musiktheater in Amsterdam, International Izmir Festival in Turkey, Oxford Festival of the Arts in UK, Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy and at Satosphère – Société des arts technologiques in Montreal, Canada.

Laura Cioffi, Flute

Tricia Dawn Williams, Piano

Ruben Zahra, technical coordinator

ORA Singers