Vox Cycle
Encyclopedia
Vox Cycle is a six compositions or indipendent moviment cycle for four amplified voices, and electroacoustic music
by Trevor Wishart
, composed between 1980 and 1988, associated with extended vocal techniques and the contemporay
vocal composition.
The Cycle is focused on the relationship and the interpolation between natural sounds and human voice, the main musical interest of the composer on which he has been researching for a long time, starting from Red Bird composition released through analog means.
The poetics at the base of the work has linguistic and philosophical marks, regarding the relationship between creation and disintegration of man, between natural developments and failure of western
culture and society. The Raw and the Cooked by Claude Lévi-Strauss
suggested to the composer this central idea for his album.
All the movements included in the original record are performed by the Electronic Phoenix ensemble , using the extended vocal techniques following the scores according to the composer's indications. The recordings of the voices in the electroacoustic
compositions are related with animals, natural and mechanical sounds; the spectromorphological
transformations of the voices and sounds are conducted by technological means, with four-channel spazialization for the performances. Vox V only is based on the recording of vocal sounds improvised by Wishart himself and the transformation of these.
Commissioned by IRCAM
in 1981 and released in 1986, this composition resumes the characteristics of the entire cycle in its several production steps. From the poetical point of view, this movement represents the narrative climax; from the technical point of view it is the only piece conceived to be totally acousmatic
while the other pieces have been composed to be performed. Vox V can be considered as the result of the research on the transformations of sound that Wishart has been conducting for a long time, which lead to the creation of Sound Loom - Composers' Desktop Project (CDP) software.
The piece was broadcasted the very first time on the French Radio INA
/GRM, within Acousmatique cycle.
The methodology at the base of the entire work is focused on the musical space as sonorous continuum and the concept of transformation, from a spectromorphological
point of view.
The essential compositional device is the gesture in the sound continuum, the transformation from one sound propriety to another as from one symbol to another.
Wishart is focused on the dynamics and timbre evolution within the single musical events. In particular, regarding the interpolation between voice and other sounds, Vox V has perhaps the "classic sonic example of this process in the transformation from the voice to a swarm of bees and the return of the voice."
Finally, the work is openly dedicated to the human voice. The composer's interest is about the voice versatility as superior to any other musical instrument for sound production, although, as the composer declared, he has been using the voice since the beginning because it was easier than recording natural or urban sounds through old analog means, when new technologies were not available.
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
by Trevor Wishart
Trevor Wishart
Trevor Wishart is an English composer, based in York. Wishart has contributed to composing with digital audio media, both fixed and interactive...
, composed between 1980 and 1988, associated with extended vocal techniques and the contemporay
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
vocal composition.
The Cycle is focused on the relationship and the interpolation between natural sounds and human voice, the main musical interest of the composer on which he has been researching for a long time, starting from Red Bird composition released through analog means.
The poetics at the base of the work has linguistic and philosophical marks, regarding the relationship between creation and disintegration of man, between natural developments and failure of western
Western
Western may refer to:* Western , a category of fiction and visual art centered on the American Old West** Western fiction, the Western genre as featured in literature* Western music, a type of American folk music-In geography:...
culture and society. The Raw and the Cooked by Claude Lévi-Strauss
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Claude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist and ethnologist, and has been called, along with James George Frazer, the "father of modern anthropology"....
suggested to the composer this central idea for his album.
All the movements included in the original record are performed by the Electronic Phoenix ensemble , using the extended vocal techniques following the scores according to the composer's indications. The recordings of the voices in the electroacoustic
Electroacoustic
The term "Electroacoustic" can refer to any of the following:* Electric acoustic guitar – A type of guitar.* Electroacoustic music – A variety of experimental music.* Electroacoustic phenomena – A reaction phenomenon studied in chemistry and physics....
compositions are related with animals, natural and mechanical sounds; the spectromorphological
Spectromorphology
Spectromorphology is the perceived sonic footprint of a sound spectrum as it manifests in time. A descriptive spectromorphological analysis of sound is sometimes used in the analysis of electroacoustic music, especially acousmatic music...
transformations of the voices and sounds are conducted by technological means, with four-channel spazialization for the performances. Vox V only is based on the recording of vocal sounds improvised by Wishart himself and the transformation of these.
Commissioned by IRCAM
IRCAM
IRCAM is a European institute for science about music and sound and avant garde electro-acoustical art music. It is situated next to, and is organizationally linked with, the Centre Pompidou in Paris...
in 1981 and released in 1986, this composition resumes the characteristics of the entire cycle in its several production steps. From the poetical point of view, this movement represents the narrative climax; from the technical point of view it is the only piece conceived to be totally acousmatic
Acousmatic
Acousmatic sound is sound one hears without seeing an originating cause. The word acousmatic, from the French acousmatique, is derived from ἀκουσματικοί akousmatikoi, a term used to refer to probationary pupils of the philosopher Pythagoras who, so that they might better concentrate on his...
while the other pieces have been composed to be performed. Vox V can be considered as the result of the research on the transformations of sound that Wishart has been conducting for a long time, which lead to the creation of Sound Loom - Composers' Desktop Project (CDP) software.
The piece was broadcasted the very first time on the French Radio INA
Institut national de l'audiovisuel
The Institut national de l'audiovisuel , is a repository of all French radio and television audiovisual archives. Additionally it provides customers with a free and immediate access to archives of countries such as Afghanistan and Cambodia...
/GRM, within Acousmatique cycle.
The methodology at the base of the entire work is focused on the musical space as sonorous continuum and the concept of transformation, from a spectromorphological
Spectromorphology
Spectromorphology is the perceived sonic footprint of a sound spectrum as it manifests in time. A descriptive spectromorphological analysis of sound is sometimes used in the analysis of electroacoustic music, especially acousmatic music...
point of view.
The essential compositional device is the gesture in the sound continuum, the transformation from one sound propriety to another as from one symbol to another.
Wishart is focused on the dynamics and timbre evolution within the single musical events. In particular, regarding the interpolation between voice and other sounds, Vox V has perhaps the "classic sonic example of this process in the transformation from the voice to a swarm of bees and the return of the voice."
Finally, the work is openly dedicated to the human voice. The composer's interest is about the voice versatility as superior to any other musical instrument for sound production, although, as the composer declared, he has been using the voice since the beginning because it was easier than recording natural or urban sounds through old analog means, when new technologies were not available.
Track Listing
- Vox I (duration: 7:13, composition period: 1980-82, premiere: Paris Biennale 1985).
- Vox II (13:01, 1982-84, Paris Biennale 1985).
- Vox III (15:58, 1985-86, Moebius Gallery, Boston).
- Vox IV (10:38, 1987), Huddersfield Festival 1987).
- Vox V (6:13, 1979-86, INA/GRM Cycle Acousmatique, Radio France 1987).
- Vox VI (13:21, 1988, BBC Promenade Concerts 1988).