Relâche Collection ➔ New Music America: 1987: Concert No. 8, Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec, 2 of 5

Digital Audio

Event Type

Music

Origin

Relàche

Identifier

NMA.1987.10.06.2.c1.B

Program Series

New Music America

Program Length

78 min

Part

2 of 5

Dates

1987-10-06 | created

Description

The 1987 New Music America Festival was held in Philadelphia during the first two weeks in October. Produced by the local ensemble Relâche, this 10 day extravaganza of adventurous musical programing featured over 20 concerts, lectures, and sound installations. A wide range of sonic delights were offered, ranging from 20th century classical works for instrumental ensemble, to examples of experimental electronic wizardry, to incomparable improvisational jazz extravaganza’s, all performed by a bevy of talented musicians and composers.

The eighth concert of the Festival included a diverse palate of performaces, from large classical ensembles to percussive duets, and extreme music orchestras. The Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec performed several works by noted and overlooked Canadian composers Claude Vivier and Michel Longtin. The meditative percussion music of Glen Velez joined forces with Layne Redmond as they delivered a duo for frame drums. Velez also performed solo prior to the duet. The concert ends on a tight note with the outsounds of multi-instrumentalist Elliot Sharp and Carbon (featuring an ever revolving cast of players).

Notes from the concert program:

POHJATUULI (HOMAGE TO SIBELIUS)[1984 new version] by Michel Longtin
“Pohjatuuli” is the Finnish word for the north wind. This piece, an homage to Sibelius, uses contemporary language interpolated with that of the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh symphonies of Sibelius. This work received Canada’s Governor General’s Award in 1986.

PALAU DEWHATA by Claude Vivier
The title means “Isle of the Gods” in Balinese. The work, for open instrumentation, is written in a repetitive style characteristic of Balinese music, with Vivier’s compositional treatments.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION DUO FOR 2 FRAME DRUMS by Glen Velez and Layne Redmond
This piece uses a flexible structure based on a system of rhythmic cues and pre-set drum melodies which are formed by the two interlocking drummers.

RAIN by Glen Velez
A solo improvisation with Glen Velez on a 3-part framework inspired by the three dynamic levels commonly used on the Egyptian tambourine.

MASEREEL by Elliott Sharp and Carbon
Dedicated to and inspired by the woodcuts of Frans Masereel, this piece translates his dark and iconic vision into a contemporary sonic vocabulary.

This concert was held at the Port of History Museum, on October 6, 1987, and generously provided to Other Minds by Joseph Franklin who directed the 1987 New Music America festival, and Werner Strobel who digitized the original tape recordings.

Genres

20th century classical
World music

Musical Selections

Pulau Dewhata (1977) (12:09) [arranged by John Rea] / Claude Vivier

Performers

SMCDQ (Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec):
[unidentified performers]
Walter Boudreau, conductor

Subjects

Composers -- Canada
Ensembles (Musical performance groups)

Related Event

New Music America '87 (Philadelphia)

Related place

Philadelphia (Pa.) (was recorded at)

Related Entities

New Music America (Festival)
Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec
Vivier, Claude, 1948-1983
Boudreau, Walter, 1947-