Ina
Bernard Parmegiani : Violostries (F,1963-1976/1986-1991,re.2003)****°
On “Violostries” (1964) prepared violin solo recordings (Dave Erlih) were used to build a new composition with broken into pieces as samples of plucks, reverbs of plucking and broken up parts of a played recording, creating new cells of sound, stitching, linking, waving them into a new composition with expanded characteristics of a violin in a violin concerto. (-if interested, different sorts of violin expansions I reviewed before from Noah Creshevsky and by Mari Kimura-). The piece continues like a real violin solo led piece with additional arrangements of faster than possible violin parts until they become a new sort of material, like sharp melodically shaking pitches, called micro soundclusters, which thoroughly change from the expanded solo works to organic waves of material until an organ like power to end with.
On “Pour en finir avec la pouvoir d'Orphee” (1971) starts with a few bomb-like smashing chords full of drama as an introduction of the scene to make some overtones drones appear, like coming from comparable tunings to tampura mixed with overtone singing, while this is probably electronically produced. Anyhow it more and more becomes a more clearly electronic sound of cosmic drones and sequences, then again mixed with some of this time softer electro-acoustic reverb-slashing sounds. The next part starts / combines electro-acoustic looped percussion with sequenced rhythms on a base of changing layers and with an evolving focus. This naturally evolving sequenced rhythm seems in fact to follow a classical baroque theme. Still the slashing electro-acoustic themes takes over. The third part seems to have been prepared as partly electro-acoustic live playing, with the inclusion of glass-like and bell-like sounds and pitches mixed with electronic pulses in a very colourful and ever changing way. Different sequences then form an interactive time-run. The next part is based upon jew's harp with a responding echoing electro-acoustic counter-part. This evolves into three-dimensional half electro-acoustic windy playing sounds mixed colourful drones and peeping rhythms, percussive elements and blowing tubes, already more prepared and expressed like a real live concert.
The next track in 5 parts, “Dedans/Dehors” (1977) has some contradictory parts. The last three parts hang well together and are entirely based upon comparable recordings and approaches to the four elements, as quiet rhythms, and then as flooding waves, starting with water, earth, fire and then breathing. In that case the first part and the in-between-track works in a somewhat confusing way. The complete piece is meant as another confrontation, partly a natural meeting point, between natural and artificial sounds. It reflects metamorphoses from fluid to solid and other often balanced changes and contrasts. The first, mostly artificially produced part starts with heavily sequenced electro-acoustic rhythms, some keyboard psychedelica drones and instant percussive accents, ending with the sounds of water. This continues in the next part with mixed acoustic/electronic plays of electronic beeps with ping pong ball rhythms in glass and water drops,some rhythmic ideas which ends in the element water with a splash. Then we hear in the next part the recording of a quiet natural environment which thoroughly becomes disturbed by a water flood recording fading in like electronic streams of waves with a feeling that these sounds and events are all natural even though some of its elements are not. The next environmental action is more with the element earth, continuing in the next part with the recording of a fire. Also this is mixed with some electro-acoustic effects. A similar action with breaths and electro-acoustic percussion is followed hereafter, including deep nose breathing and a natural breathing rhythm. More breathing wind, door peeps, crows and whispering voices can be heard as well evolving once more into artificial sounds. For Parmegiani all these sounds are of a comparable quality, something which can be considered in every composition..
The second CD contains more recent works, where Parmegiani worked with the computer instead of with tapes, but with the same purpose and while continuing the same vision and insights. Also he is able to add more sorts of manipulations of sounds thanks to the combination of different systems. The result is that Parmegiani is able to make a language with sound itself which makes more evolutions than can be expressed by limited by range instruments (or even tools).
On “Rouge-Morts” (1987) we hear how the natural sounds of cicades can be combined or confused with electronically produced sounds, which, mixed with natural breathing rhythms, forming its own world, wherein a four-dimensional setting is formed with evolving movement and content. Clusters of sounds are used and still orchestral settings and visions are possible with sound itself.
This is even more clear in “Excercisme 3” (1986) where you can almost see things that you hear. The sounds have their own space, life and evolutions, rhythms and interactive evolutions, responses and sound group formations of dialogues
“Le Present Composé/Composed Now” (1991) is about direct invention, discovery and response to sound which creates itself by further confrontation and use of ear to it. Pulses exist in space, make effects, new lights and colours, rhythmic pulses and so on. Still this includes movement, hanging together evolutions. Some keyboard droning sounds and melody is mixed with tone clustering evolving patterns. Also the next part seems to be born out of itself in a quiet space, like a creature with its own language. It is as if you are listening to a half mechanical living creature with already a higher artificial intelligence. On the next track it is if there are more of such creatures with some responding deeper sinus tones, like a world of insects and quietly and rhythmically moving objects in the wind. The last part is more mechanical, electronic, still in a environmental space. This sounds like communication from an outside world trying to get through some equipment lying somewhere to get noticed. This consists of some pushing action pulses and some different long deep tones too. Very special.
I was already entertained by Bernard Parmegiani's '74 work which I considered as a work belonging to the avant-garde areas of progressive music, but I was still amazed by the quality I found on this release, ranging from new contemporary music ideas to a world of expressions on its own. Bernard Parmegiani surely is able to manipulate and and handle sound like no other, learning thoroughly to control such a process of creation from start to finish. Highly recommended. I am thinking of doing a separate radio show dedicated to his works.
