Today I propose Àphones, a piece for seventeen instruments by the young composer Clara Iannotta.
First of all, a clarification, perhaps useless, perhaps not. I am not talking about this piece because it was written by a female composer: I am not making it a matter of gender, nor of pink quotas. In short, I am not proposing it to balance the fact that so far I have only proposed pieces by males.
With this, I do not mean that the problem of gender does not exist: not at all (I am thinking in particular of the recent controversy triggered by an unfortunate remark by Bruno Mantovani, director of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, a remark harshly contested by Kaija Saariaho). However, I believe that in the context of composition, the issue should not be addressed in terms of pink quotas (which in other cases can indeed prove useful, if understood as a means and not an end), but in terms of quality. As I wrote some time ago, the quality of music written by female composers usually has nothing to envy from the music of their male colleagues, and in fact, is often even better.
And so I am speaking about Àphones because it seems to me to be a piece of great quality. Timbral quality, first and foremost. The work on sound is meticulous, extremely detailed; the particulars are handled with a truly rare precision. However, the piece does not exhaust itself in the research, for its own sake, of precious material. My sensation is one of great organicity, of great fluidity. The "precious sound" becomes a succession of compelling events, carefully dosed. These are sometimes minimal events (between 00:10 and 00:15 a repeated note, as simple as it is surprising, grows a little until exploding... a tiny explosion whose fragments bounce here and there), but their "subtlety" does not come at the expense of the piece's effectiveness.
First of all, a clarification, perhaps useless, perhaps not. I am not talking about this piece because it was written by a female composer: I am not making it a matter of gender, nor of pink quotas. In short, I am not proposing it to balance the fact that so far I have only proposed pieces by males.
With this, I do not mean that the problem of gender does not exist:
Clara Iannotta's most recent piece is A Failed Entertainment for string quartet, performed in November 2013 in Berlin by the Quatuor Diotima. The timbral seduction of Àphones is still entirely present; in fact, I would say it has almost strengthened, but at the same time it has become somewhat parched, becoming even more subtle, sharp, and precise. It is increasingly clear that Clara Iannotta dominates the time of these very particular sounds, and it is this dominance (and not so much the invention of strange sounds, which always risks falling into the anecdotal) that makes her so interesting. Outside of Italy, obviously.
It is becoming increasingly clear that Clara Iannotta masters the timing of these very particular sounds, and it is this mastery (and not so much the invention of strange sounds, which always risks falling into the anecdotal) that makes her so interesting. Outside of Italy, obviously.
I don't know, at this point it seems that abroad they really have different needs. Despite my efforts, I just haven't managed to finish listening to everything...
...at this point either there is a problem with me or they have one abroad. Lucky for Clara Iannotta that her nation isn't the only one that exists.
Even if, to tell you the truth, last year I traveled around Spain... and I feel like I listened to everything, especially a lot of live music (how lovely!), except for our Clara.
I hope for some contextualization from you RedScharlach... outside of Italy it is very vast... and I don't know if we have the same circles....
I hope for some contextualization from you, RedScharlach... outside of Italy it is very vast... and I don't know if we run in the same circles....
Neither do I know if we run in the same circles. Since you spoke about Spain ... Have you been to Barcelona? Have you heard the CrossingLines ensemble?
My observation regarding A Failed Entertainment stems from the fact that it is very complex and delicate music in terms of performance: to ensure its success, certain conditions are necessary (availability of musicians, adequate rehearsals) which are quite rare in Italy, especially if you are not already an established composer (and even that is no guarantee). From this point of view, newcomers have many more possibilities in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, etc...
A consequence of this situation is that this musical genre is appreciated more in the aforementioned countries, where it has a better chance of being heard under adequate conditions.
HA
Historical author
Reply 7 by Historical author
There is always an etc. ... to me it seems that it only concerns Central Europe... outside of Italy, for me it could also mean the East or the USA, where these genres (I am talking about the USA) are practically relegated to composition departments ... and the music played is of a completely different nature
Anyway, I understand now what you meant, opportunities for the composer and not so much for the listeners... which in turn encounter this type of performance more easily... ok, understood. Thank you.
Anyway, I understand now what you meant: the opportunity for the composer and not so much for the listeners... who, however, by reflection, more easily come across performances of this type... ok, understood. Thank you.
You're welcome. And, to be precise, rather than Central Europe, I would speak of North-Central, if we really want to be strict!
Anyway, truth be told, even in Italy there are institutions that give space to young people interested in this type of music. These are realities that, however, do not have an easy life (as I was saying before, in Italy creative spaces are usually the prerogative of already established personalities!). The first example that comes to mind is the Divertimento Ensemble of Milan, directed by Sandro Gorli, which performs a well-merited work in support of the creation and dissemination of pieces by young composers.
I have listened to some pieces by Iannotta and others. Almost every time I listen to a work of this type, I would say that I am stimulated to make music differently from how I do it; however, the problem, and it is no small thing, is organizing in a truly functional way what comes to mind, which can even be a very brief fragment, and those who make music know that ideas come. So, to write compositions like these, which sometimes, I admit, seem a bit "absurd" and forced, as if one wanted to express who knows what and in what way (moving radically away from the concept of accessible and immediate music that many still have, including myself), there is nonetheless a need for both mastery of theory and an in-depth knowledge of instruments, which we know are used extensively, especially in recent decades, at the limits of sound research, of the possible, and in some cases, for me, musicality can be lost in a work—obviously I am speaking as someone who perceives certain compositions this way. Another problem is that one is often told "do not listen with prejudice, expecting something," as if to preemptively defend oneself: on one hand it is right, since one is not prepared, but it is equally true that if we are talking about music (and the nuances are manifold), there should not be a need for a dictionary and an interpreter to make someone understand something that, if directed at an audience, must surely express and exert something.
In practice, if the language is truly too complex, the risk is always that it will not reach as many people as possible, and I think this is also the intention of those who compose; otherwise, it remains a circle of experts and everything else is ignorance.
In practice, if the language is truly too complex, the risk is always that you won't reach as many people as possible, and I think this is also the intention of the composer; otherwise, it remains a circle of experts and everything else is ignorance.
I agree, music aimed solely at industry insiders is absolutely sad. On the other hand, it is clear that with A Failed Entertainment you will never fill a stadium of 25,000 spectators. But even with Bach (and much less so with Josquin) you don't fill a stadium of 25,000 spectators. Baglioni manages to do it, hats off to him, but this doesn't prevent us from enjoying listening to Bach and Josquin.
You will tell me that this is an overused argument, and that's fine, but I invite you to reflect on the context: I am convinced of the fact that anyone interested in going to the cinema to see a David Lynch film, or visiting a museum to see a work by Jannis Kounellis, has all the cultural tools to listen to a piece of contemporary music. Obviously, I am not speaking in absolute terms about the quality of the various works, but about the possibility that there exists an audience interested in these experiences, and therefore a context in which these works can make sense.
What you are saying is true, and the example you make, using Baglioni as a starting point in this case, is nonetheless emblematic; regardless of a person's personal taste (who might listen to Ligeti and at the same time Ligabue or others, so perhaps broad-minded, but with a predilection for specific music), the fact remains that those who fill the auditoriums in most cases are singers of "light" music, rock, and company. Without offense, it is nonetheless a sign of how things are going; and there is another aspect regarding this "choice": the lyrics—starting from middle school (perhaps even earlier in certain cases)—kids are interested in lyrics more than music, this can be verified in any context, and perhaps also because of this, if not guided, at least in such a way as to be able to choose between different musical offerings, and not just those that are advertised in rapid succession, certain music is still considered distant, difficult, or lacking "impact."
I remember a friend who years ago told me "but the music you listen to doesn't make a bang," meaning it doesn't move you, has no rhythm, and things like that; a blasphemy to me, since at least in my view, he really doesn't know what he is missing.
