a r t i s t : Jocy De Oliveira
t i t l e : Est≤rias Para Voz Instrumentos Ac·sticos E Eletr⌠nicos
d a t e : 2006
l a b e l : Creel Pone
g e n r e : Avantgarde
r l s. d a t e : Jul/2006
t r a c k s : 04
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 65,1 MB
_______________________________________________________________________
Creel Pone #32 creelp jocy cd
released 02/17/2006
here we have a fine example of just what exactly is lurking
out there; a fine 1981 collection of "stories" for voice,
acoustic, and electronic instruments composed by ms. jocy de
oliveira between 1971 and 1980 (originally released on the
micro "fermata ind·stria fonogrαfica ltda." imprint), lent to
mr. p.c. c.p. by a mysterious individual known eponymously as
"von".
aside from being the first bit of brazlian early-electronic
music that i've ever heard, it is a magnificent display of
vox-electronic fireworks; ranging from joan labarbara-esque
squiggles over a melange of traditional brazilian/orchestral
percussion and just messed-up garbled-tape zombie-riffage to
full-bore synthi/buchla/arp squabble & resonant dronework. the
last piece alone comes across like the lost
tropicalia/psych/free-vocal/ring-modulator freakout/jam hybrid
that you've only dreamt about... absolutely gorgeous and a
fine addition to the c.p. "canon".
original liner notes:
works by jocy de oliveira
side a
a) estoria ii (for voice, percussion and tape) wlritten in
1967
estorias (for voice, acoustic and electronic instruments) is a
work in progress; a series of pieces which are recollections
of dreams and memories, a kaleidoscope of sound, words and
images. they are concerned with the transformation of language
and sound --- the voice and image of a woman.
in estoria ii the idea started as a cell made up of certain
words and groups of phonems forming a text with multiple
meanings. the text emphasizes "a maria" which means' a woman,
anybody or anything. in truth this "maria" is connected with
the amorality of nature. the text explores sounds and groups
of consonants related with nature, sonic and rhythmic
relations, play upon words, euphonic similarities, popular
sayings, emphatic repetitions, etc. the musical notation
started in my mind as a quite explicit one; however, in the
process of writing it i realized i was trying to keep in
traditional measures a spontaneous relation of speech-sound.
the clarity of symbols was interfering with the quite
improvisatory form. without any rehearsal i placed the scheme
of phonems and words near to the microphone in front of the
soprano rozalyn wykes and myself. while i would read (in a
modulated speech) and improvise sounds and words, the singer
would foliow the nuances of the portuguese language in a
"spreachgesang" manner or singing. this was the source for the
elaboration of the tape part. this liquid clear voice passes
through the tape as a parallel to the symbolism of the text.
as the work progresses it fol1owsits way distorting itself,
loses its character and changes its vocal personality ---
becoming like a wind. instrument.
b) wave song (in collaboration with ron pellegrino) written in
1977 (for piano and tape)
wave song was performed as a real time composition by myself
using an amplified piano and electric celesta, and ron
pellegrino using four synthesizers (2 synthi aks, arp 2600,
buchla electric music box) and laser during the festival for
new musicin rio de janeiro in 1976. later this piece was
developed for piano with tape in the version heard in this
recording.
the piece motivates a peaceful state of mind, a sort of
attaining alfa. the piano part in this version is almost to be
transinitted orally. it is not to be improvised but rather
developed in the oriental sense as, for instance, in a raga.
although the compositional material is planned, it should flow
spontaneously.
the pianist uses a mode based in the same harmonics heard in
the tape. it is performed as softly as possible, light, very
fast and superficially as if the fingers were butterflies. the
piano is prepared with ping pong balls.
c) dimensoΦs para quatro teclados (for four keyboards played
by the same performer)
written in 1976 this is a piece conceived to be played by one
performer using four different keyboards. four electric or
amplified instruments are placed in square position with the
performer in the center. (for this version, recorded during as
iscm concert in denmark, i used an electric piano, electric
organ, amplified piano and harpsichord.) the
composer/performer combines the possibilities of exploring the
four timbres. it is also a challenge to the performer to be
able to reach the different keyboards at the same time,
considering the need of different touches and to maintain a
continuous sound. as a sort of player/actor, the performer
switches from one instrument to another in a busy mimic
related to the keyboards. the combination of the four
instruments is used in added formula - 4c2 +, 4c3 + 4c4 -
which can also be employed in the elaboration of multiplying
new instruments to infinite possibilities of different pieces.
this recording was made live during the concert without any
prerecorded effect.
side b
a) estoria iv (for voice, electronic violin, bass guitar and
percussion) written in 1978, revised in 1980
i started to compose estoria iv in 1978; i revised the version
heard in this recording in 1980, when the piece was also first
performed.
the text is composed of a polarity of meanings with semantic
and rhythmic correspondence through a series of words
connected to each other in blurred relations of dreams and
memories, intelligible reflections on life and death. this is
a play upon words and sonic relations between some words in
portuguese, sanskrit and japanese. the text emphasizes "era
tuna vez uma memoria" (once upon the time there was a memory).
then, following "era uma vez", instead of "uma maria", there
is in sanskrit, "uma mahes vara" (the supreme deity wed to the
peace of night). the use of words "sonho" (in porguguese,
dream) and "shomyo" (art of singing in japanese), "nada"
(intelligible sound in sanskrit), and "nada" (nothingness in
portuguese) and so on. the voice part is inspired by oriental
vocal techniques (multiphonic, raga, shomyo) combined with
contemporary western means. the performer tells a story
impossible of being verbalized by an oriental because its
language is too occidental and vice-versa. this piece is like
the dream of meeting of cultures. the optimum condition for
performing this piece is to have the singer working with the
composer. it is also suggested to have during the performance
a second voice (such as the composer) following the same text
in order to be a leading element to choose, manipulate sounds
and modify the singer voice. (this is how we performed in this
recording.) the words do not have to be understood by the
listener but used by the interpreter as a leading cue for
choice of phonems. it should be sung as slow as possible as if
a tape were being played backwards in a wrong and slow speed.
the electronic violin is an instrument made by "vitar" with
five strings. the performer uses the pitches from the raga
"vibhasa" to develop his part. the violin and the bass guitar
parts should blend completely. my concern for the bass guitar
as well as for the percussion was to find new sonorities. this
whole piece was played live without any prerecorded effect.
_______________________________________________________________________
01-Est≤ria II Para Voz Percussαo E Fita (1967) [09:30]
02-Wave Song Para Piano E Fita (1977) [08:02]
03-Dimensoes Para Quatro Teclados (1976) [05:52]
04-Est≤ria IV Para Vozes Violino Electr⌠nico Baixo [22:28]
Guitarra E Percussαo (1978)
-------
45:52 min