Commentary to Maulwerke

This composition is included together with Five Vocalises in the set Commentary on Maulwerke

Artikulationsorgane

The word "Artikulationsorgane" comes from the subtitle of Dieter Schnebel's composition Maulwerke: "Für Artikulationsorgane und Reproduktionsgeräte" (1968).

In 2003/2005, together with the Kunstarbeiders Gezelschap (KaG), we set up a multimedia music theatre project to perform this special work by the German renowned composer Dieter Schnebel. Afterwards, I felt the need to create this piece as an epilogue, a commentary. In my opinion, electronic music should have been more prominent in the Maulwerke project, and this has been resolved in this composition.

Deafness and Muteness

From all the experiences, a question comes to me that relates the articulation organs to hearing and deafness. "Not being able to hear, how similar is that to not being able to speak?" In Maulwerke, a systematic exploration of the possibilities of the speech organs lies at the basis. The composition deepens when these organs produce primary sounds from a bodily impulse that is itself a reflection of the psyche. That is why Schnebel describes this music as psychoanalytical music.

The sounds used here were largely recorded during the project. At one point, the voice of the Maulwerke composer Dieter Schnebel himself can be heard. This was recorded during a workshop he gave to the Maulwerke participants.

First performance

A first version of this work could be heard on 26 November 2005 during the KriKri Festival for Polypoetry in the Gravensteen (Castel of Counts) in Ghent, where the eight-channel music was synchronised with the video by Diederik Nuyttens via an SMPTE track. The title then was "Commentary to Maulwerke". I have since further edited this version to this final result "Artikulationsorgane". (February 10, 2008)

Matrix edition

Also worth mentioning is the discussion of this composition in the publication "Flemish Tape Music since 1950". This promotional edition from 2010 is the 6th edition in a series of "Contemporary Music in Flanders" by Matrix Leuven. It collects 9 Flemish composers who are or were involved with tape music. It is of course a pleasure to be included in this.

laatste update: 2021.07.14