"Since music is, for Scelsi, an intuitive link with the transcendental and involves the annulment of creative individuality (like in Asia's religions), the countless changes in style contributing to the non-professional features of his vast output should be regarded as pure phenomena, which merely embody a spiritual process substantially unchanging.
"To explore another -third- dimension - the depth of sound (in contrast to the other two dimensions pitch and duration) Scelsi wrote several pieces for wind-instruments (1953-58): 'Quays' and 'Pwyll' for flute, 'Preghiera per un ombra', 'Tre studi' and 'Ixor' for clarinet, 'Tre pezzi' for the instruments: trumpet, saxophone, horn as well as trombone.
"By the 1950s, as outwardly instanced in his abandonment of conventional for exotic or esoteric titles, Scelsi turned increasingly towards the asceticism of eastern art. Technically this involved a significant modification of the unrelieved motivic procedures previously characterizing his music. Such a modification reached an extreme point in the intriguing 'Quattro pezzi (su una nota sola)' for orchestra (1959) as well as in 'Ko-Lho' for flute & clarinet (1966), each piece being based on a single note held throughout, with attention focused on its smallest variations of rhythm, dynamics or pitch in a manner that suggests comparison with meditative practice.
"Moreover, the micro-intervallic writing so poignantly exploited in these works - and further developed, chiefly in compositions for strings, such as his last three quartets, 'Xnoybis', 'L'âme ouverte' - gave way to that inclusion of sound material outside the tempered system which in due led him to make use even of clusters ('Action music' for piano) and 'musique concrète' ('Prânam I' for voice, 12 instruments and tape). Not until the 80s people became occupied with his work especially in Germany where he gained nearly cultic adoration - in contrast to his homeland Italy where only radical circles supported his music. The interest of foreign composers such as Ligeti, Feldman and Nono ended his lifelong isolation.
"'Piccola Suite' (1953). This piece is not a fusion of the sonority of the two instruments as in 'Ko-Lho' but a highly virtuoso (1st and 3rd movement) combination of two independent solo parts based on Scelsi's principle of variations (see also 'Pwyll'). Despite this independence, the audience experiences the development of a true dialogue in a fascinating manner. The pastoral final movement is perhaps the most reminiscent of a suite: traditionally written as a melody with accompaniment, it has a very calming effect after the agitating music of the preceding movements.
"'Quays' was written in 1953. It is possible to perform 'Quays' with either the alto or normal flute. Both versions have been authorized by the composer. On this recording I choose the version with the normal flute because of its brightness in ornamental passages.
"The main compositional idea involves the 'principle of central tones', in this case the notes B, C, and D are used (in all octaves). 'Quays' can be divided into several sections. The slow, calm beginning is soon followed by a more active and dramatic middle section.
"'Preghiera per un'ombra' (1954) ('Prayer for a Shadow'). The unusually concrete title describes the situation of the musician playing this piece: driven by the heat of the music, to the limits of what is technically possible. The work lives from rapid changes in register, creating at times the effect of a polyphonic piece.
"'Pwyll', composed in 1954 for flute, is closely connected to Scelsi's piano compositions, especially to his 'Suite No. 10, Ka'. It is based on Scelsi's technique of variation. The insistent repetition of a single tone figure is not to be confused with stereotype repetition; it is above all the new creation, translation, revelation, of a previously hidden dimension.
"'Tre studi' (1954) is a well-rounded cycle of three pieces written for the E-flat clarinet. Scelsi consciously abstains from using the extreme range of the E-flat clarinet so as to achieve a greater flexibility in sonority. The lively first movement is characterized by large leaps of upward-moving intervals. The second movement shows clear references to the first movement but the narrow tonal range is further differentiated by quarter-tones and glissandi and intensified by an exceedingly virtuoso middle section. The very spirited third movement is a synthesis of the two other movements; it swings between calm and, in contrast to the first movement - a more agitated movement, which also integrates the quarter-tones and the glissandi of the second movement.
"'Rucke di guck' (1957). Similar in its conception to the 'Piccola Suite' (except for the last movement), Scelsi intensifies the virtuoso character and sharpness of the music by using the piccolo flute and oboe (here in a recording with piccolo flute and E-flat clarinet), pushing the musicians to the limits of what is technically possible.
"In addition to the orchestral piece 'Quattro pezzi', 'Ko-Lho' (1966) indisputably marks the pinnacle of Scelsi's career. The work is a synthesis of early working methods and his new orientation toward microtonality. Despite its calm, flowing character it is chracterized by an extremely differentiated rhythm that Scelsi gradually abandons in favour of a complex sonority, which he achieves with microtonality and an emphasis on shaping the individual tone (crescendi, vibrati, glissandi, tremoli).
"In 'Xnoybis' (1964) this development becomes quite clear. The first movement contains rhythmic subtleties similar to 'Ko-Lho'. The second movement has a flowing quality; instead of whole-tone trills Scelsi introduces quarter-tone tremoli in a rhythmic pattern. The tonal range of the third movement is limited, ranging only from C' to F''. Here Scelsi replaces the quarter-tone tremoli with tremoli and vibrati of different timbres.
"In 'L'âme ailée' (1974) a further step is taken in this direction. Scelsi once again restricts the register of the instruments, eliminates the rhythmic details (there is now only a pulsating quarter beat), and further reduces the tonal range to that of just one second.
"The small tonal tange, the lengthening of time values, as well as the variability in the dynamics create an effect of force and counterforce. This development of space within the passage of time is related to alap, the slow introduction of Indian ragas.
"'L'âme ouverte' (1974) is even more radical. The player is instructed to count the beats created between two neighbouring tones! In pure physical terms, however, this contradicts Scelsi's use of quarter and eighth tones. In our recording we have chosen to play a version with audible beats.
"A few words about the arrangement of the work 'Xnoybis', 'L'âme ailée' and 'L'âme ouverte' for flute and clarinet. These pieces place high technical demands on the solo violinist, requiring, for example, opposing dynamics, glissandi, vibrati, quarter and eighth-tones to be played simultaneously on two strings. This certainly justifies and arrangement for two instruments - in our case flute and clarinet in B - especially since Scelsi had already investigated the 'third dimension', microtonal sonority, with wind instruments, for example in 'Ko-Lho', written for flute and clarinet.
"'Maknongan' (1976) pour un instrument grave ou voix de basse. One of Scelsi's most ascetic pieces. It demands a complete immersion in one note (G-sharp), the differentiation of the finest nuances in sonority, and clearly shows Scelsi's interest in the abundant overtones in instruments with a deep range as well as voices (also recognizable in leaps to the next higher octave). Glissandi and quarter-tones lead the piece to its final note, G.
"'Krishna e Radha' is a joint composition originated in recorded improvisations of Giacinto Scelsi and Carin Levine. Scelsi entitled the piece 'Krishna e Radha'. Krishna e Radha are two characters described in the ancient Hinduistic Gita-Govinda poems from 1100 B.C. This piece should be performed with alight playfulness - conveying two musicians casually enjoying an evening in the company of their instruments and one another." (Stefan Fischer, tr. Anne Heritage. From the liner notes.)
Performers: Ebony-Duo
1. Piccola Suite: I.
2. Piccola Suite: II.
3. Piccola Suite: III.
4. Piccola Suite: IV.
5. Quays
6. Preghiera Per Un'ombra
7. Pwyll
8. Rucke Di Guck: I.
9. Rucke Di Guck: II.
10. Rucke Di Guck: III.
11. Ko-Lho: I.
12. Ko-Lho: II.
13. Tre Studi: I.
14. Tre Studi: II.
15. Tre Studi: III.
16. Xnoybis: I.
17. Xnoybis: II.
18. Xnoybis: III.
19. Krishna E Radha
20. Maknongan
21. L'âme Ouverte
22. L'âme Ailée
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