2005(1)
Manfred Werder

(text)

anteroom’s realization of Manfred Werder’s composition “2005/1″ has been released by Another Timbre as part of an online collection of different realizations of the piece by different musicians from around the world. Listen to anteroom’s realization.

Special thanks to Simon Reynell from Another Timbre for asking us to contribute to this project.  Many thanks to Manfred for writing such a beautiful score.

Recording Notes:

“Fifteen minutes divided into three five minute sections, each corresponding to a different interpretation of the text score, similar to our previous performance of the work. In the first section, we placed time-sounds (radio alarm and alarm buzzer) spatially and temporally. In the second section, we contributed performative sounds to the place, time and sounds already present. In the final section we allowed the place and time of the performance space to sound by increasing the gain of the environmental sounds outside the performance space which were being gathered by microphones positioned through open windows and amplified through two speakers on either side of us.”

Recorded at Emergent Media Labs, Denton, TX

Recorded and Mixed by Jason Fick

Manfred Werder

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II. I.
Adam Goodwin

(score)

The piece is divided into two untitled movements which, with permission from Goodwin, anteroom performed in reverse order. In movement II. Goodwin, inspired by a recent interaction with Jaap Blonk, has arranged a system of connected groups of phonetic characters the performers are to move through freely. The phonemes are pulled from the first word of movement I. consider. Movement I. is entirely text-based and offers a meta-structure for a piece. It is an excellent example of the kinds of text-scores which originally sparked our interest in the medium. It’s openness allows the performer to pour oneself freely into the music and into the performance, while its general guidelines offer helpful direction which aid in preserving a coherent intention throughout an ensemble.

Our process for realizing movement I. was as follows: improvise with the words with no prior discussion, discuss patterns and metaphors we noticed, improvise under more guidance, sketch a general graphic score, refine delivery. Through this process we were able to agree upon a point of unity which was realized by dropping metal coins into metal pots and revolving them in a counter-clockwise motion. We established two stages to precede the point of unity. First, Miller moved wood against wood in a vertical motion while Jackson moved wood against metal in a circular motion. Second, Miller moved skin against skin in a sweeping motion resulting in a rapid vibration between the two materials; Jackson, meanwhile, rapidly vibrated metal against metal. Each stage was divided into two characteristics: material and gesture. In stage one neither material nor gesture aligned between Miller and Jackson. In stage two gesture aligned while material did not. In stage three both material and gesture aligned. Thus, a simple three step motion towards a point of unity, followed by a pause, and, finally, a slow detachment.

performed 27 May 2012 in Dallas, Texas at The Reading Room by anteroom.

Adam Goodwin

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and then
Francesco Gagliardi

(score)

Looking at the score structurally, we find three sections of articulation. First a section of single words, followed by a section of photographs and finally a phrasal section consisting of full sentences. Each section features four groups. The first three are always isolated individuals while the final fourth is composed of a pair, suggesting a correlation between each group across the three sections. The final instruction of suggested duration, perhaps the most objective and easily attached to a historical practice of music, falls just outside the noted pattern.

The intention in performance was to wade the area along the spectrum of listening which this piece addresses; which seems to be somewhere between casual listening and a kind of unperceived ambiance. We wanted to encourage a kind of listening where sounds are experienced but not always noted so closely, so as to allow them to blend into one another without the complete awareness of the listener. This intention was embedded within a higher goal of facilitating a time of serene monotony, where no single moment stands out, no form or narrative is remembered, rather, an experience for which a state of mind or a certain color would suffice as a description. Kind of like remembering a walk through the park, and not thinking of a woman seen, or a puddle stepped in, or any other details in particular, but just that it happened, and that somehow it was very nice.

The chosen instrumentation consisted of amplifier hum, field recording pushed through small speakers, peruvian flute, yarn, coins, lighter, rain jacket, book, along with various woods, metals, glass, and ceramics.

performed 20 october 2011 in Denton, Texas at UNT on The Square Gallery by anteroom.

Francesco Gagliardi

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