Christian Dimpker
N. 04 Ausführung über den Materialbegriff
Duration: 13'
Solos:
mezzo-soprano
Instrumentation details:
clarinet in Bb
double bass
N. 04 Ausführung über den Materialbegriff
Translation, reprints and more
Christian Dimpker
Klarinette in B (N. 04 Ausführung über den Materialbegriff)
Available digitally
Type: Stimme
Christian Dimpker
Kontrabass (N. 04 Ausführung über den Materialbegriff)
Available digitally
Type: Stimme
Christian Dimpker
Mezzosopran (N. 04 Ausführung über den Materialbegriff)
Available digitally
Type: Solostimme(n)
Christian Dimpker
N. 04 Ausführung über den Materialbegriff
Available digitally
Orchestration: Für Klarinette in B, Mezzosopran, Kontrabass und Elektronik
Type: Dirigierpartitur
Sample pages
Work introduction
Ausführung über den Materialbegriff permeates the compositional process by means of quotations from Plato. The material, according to Plato, is available to the philosophers as classes of causes. The composer’s situation is similar, with the various (musical) parameters serving as building material. Like Plato, a composer can procure the material in masses and select from this stock what seems suitable for the construction/work of art. Subsequently, both lay out the materials and assemble them bit by bit. This comparison between philosophy and composition is employed, as, in my opinion, both fields share a close connection, while they are situated between science and art. Moreover, in Ausführung, I make use of extra-musical materials for the first time: the players walk across a prepared floor, while the step length, the placement of the foot, the type of movement as well as the horizontal/vertical alignment of the head and body are depicted in the score. In addition, the live electronics are also completely notated. I wrote the piece right after developing a notation system for electroacoustic music (Dimpker: Extended Notation. Vienna 2013). It is the first work to apply the results of this part of the treatise and thus marks the beginning of my so-called abstract electroacoustic music.
What is necessary to perform this work?
The electronic parts are completely notated and supposed to be controlled by sound engineers, sitting on the stage. They decide in which exact way the processes are realised as well as chose and adjust the loudspeakers. Clarinettist and mezzo-soprano are required to walk over the stage on predefined paths. The paths they walk are partially covered with materials, chosen by the performers. The five different materials and the performers’ shoes should be selected with regard to their sound-wise quality while all materials should strongly differ from each other. An exact plan of the paths’ preparations is presented on page X. It should be consulted when equipping the floor and refers to the depiction of these events in the score. The walks are supposed to be performed from memory and scores placed at all spots designated as »position«. The mezzo-soprano recites fragments taken from Plato’s »Timaeus« and book IX of the »Laws«. They are in German, based on the translation by Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) and notated by means of phonetic spelling, as found in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This approach allowed to take stronger influence on the sound-wise character (with regard to stresses, pronunciation and the lengthening of sounds) of the words’ phonemes. Additionally, the text may also be performed by non-native speakers. Occasionally, the clarinettist and contrabassist are also requested to recite the text. Their voices are supposed to sound rough and dark.