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"HiGH ▀ iNTELLiGeNCE tRoLLS"
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a r t i s t : Evan Parker & TonArt Ensemble
t i t l e : Brot & Honig
d a t e : 2000
l a b e l : TrueMuze 0003
g e n r e : Avantgarde
r l s. d a t e : Feb/2004
t r a c k s : 02
b i t r a t e : 192kbps
s i z e : 101,3 MB
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Evan Parker/TonArt Ensemble:
Evan Parker-sopr.sax,
Alexander Dannullis-guit.
Heinz Erich Goedecke- tb, didj.,
Michael Haase-banjo
Ole Hoffmann-bar.sax.,
Georgia Ch. Hoppe-e-guit., bcl, hybrid clar.,
Robert Klammer-perc.,
Nicola Kruse- viol. tenorviol.,
Ulla Levens-viol.,
Heiner Metzger- cl.,altocl., alt.sax.,synth.,
Claudius Molter- fl., altofl.,picc.,
Harry Nitz-vibr.,perc.,
Hannes Wienert- sopr.sax., sax trump.,
Peter Niklas Wilson-double bass
booklet text:
When the TonArt Ensemble invited Evan Parker on the occasion of
this Hamburg improvisers collective`s tenth anniversary, this
was in good stead with an ensemble tradition established by
joint projects with Anthony Braxton, Vinko Globokar and Fred
Frith. However, this time things were a bit different. While
Braxton, Globokar and Frith are all well-known for their work
with large ensembles, Evan Parker was, in this respect, an
unknown quantity. Parker had certainly gained ample experience
in big groups such as the London Jazz Composers Orchestra,
Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath and Globe Unity, but he
had hardly ever exposed his own large ensemble concepts. On the
other hand, the 13 musicians of the TonArt Ensemble were for
the most part completely unknown to Parker. So the
collaboration was anticipated by both sides with a certain
degree of apprehension.
It is a testimony to Parkers total trust in the method of
improvisation that he approached the collaboration in the
spirit of complete openness, without any reliance on
premeditated concepts, notated material or graphic scores.
Collective playing and the following discussion of the recorded
material began an intensive five-day process. Soon some rather
general structures emerged: alternations between tutti passages
and small sub-groups designated by the individual players.
Subsequently, more concrete ideas for the identity of these
large and small group sections formed: ideas concerning timbre
and dynamics, register and texture and the modes of
interaction. Only then did Parker, who up to that moment had
modestly integrated himself into the group, assume the role of
the composer (in the literal sense of com-ponere: the
assembling of existing parts) by establishing, shortly before
the concert, a set sequence of the tutti and chamber group
passages.
There were diverging opinions in the ensemble over the
necessity for such a formal act. Some players felt that the
music could easily organize itself through the flow of playing,
and that the prepared sonic models would integrate themselves
into this process more or less automatically; others welcomed
the clarity of a macro-form which might give the musicians more
freedom to concentrate on improvisational details. It might be
seen as a reflection of this subcutaneous dissent that in one
of the two pieces the nicely prepared plan was subversively
ignored, which interestingly enough while causing considerable
uneasiness among the players, did not affect the musical result
in any negative way. (As Parker aptly put it, listening to the
tapes after the performance: "It was nerve-racking to play, but
it sounds good!")
The contrast between these two improvised symphonies is clear:
while "Brot & Honig" ("Bread & Honey") establishes a calm flow
without harsh interruptions and dramatic solos, "Syrah &
Papidoux" focuses on dynamic contrasts, large-scale
culminations and individual improvisational statements.
Together, both pieces reveal the spectrum of what was musically
possible in the five days of this productive and pleasurable
collaboration. By the way, the titles refer to certain morning
and evening rituals that went into the preparation and
evaluation of the day`s musical work.
Peter Niklas Wilson, April 2000
Recorded live in concert (direct to digital two-track) at NDR
Hamburg, Studio 1 on October 30, 1999 by Johannes Carstens
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01-Brot & Honig [36:42]
02-Syrah & Papidoux [37:03]
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73:45 min
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