L’ivresse de la vitesse
Paul Dolden
Programme notes
The title L’ivresse de la vitesse (Intoxication by Speed) is an allusion towards my current artistic intentions which involve the speeding up of an excess of musical ideas so that the composition and its materials exhaust themselves in the shortest time possible. The intoxicating aspect of speed is evoked by using primarily fast tempo markings and rapid changes in orchestration, density and dynamics. These elements can be particularly sped up to the point of exhaustion and intoxication in the digital audio studio which is limitless or ‘virtual’ in its colour and density possibilities.
To increase the sensation of exhaustion and intoxication, hundreds of musical parts occur simultaneously that are organized by numerous musical systems which unfold concurrently. A few of these musical systems originate in different styles of popular music. These musical styles are organized by an overall compositional language and style in order to diffuse their direct effect or reference point, and to create an internally coherent music. This overall compositional language is intended to make the different musical styles and compositional systems implode inwards, creating new identities beyond their worn-out historical reference points, and to produce what I hope is like seduction
L’ivresse de la vitesse was realized in the composer’s studio with assistamce from the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA) and in particular from a Media Arts Audio Production Grant. It was premiered on May 28, 1994 at the 3rd Annual Festival of Experimental Music organized by the London Musicians’ Collective (UK). L’ivresse de la vitesse was awarded the 2nd prize at the 3rd Prix international Noroit-Léonce Petitot (Arras, France, 1994)
Premiere
- May 28, 1994, Concert, London (England, UK)
Awards
- 2nd prize, 3rd Noroit-Leonce Petitot International Prize 1993, Arras (Pas-de-Calais, France)
- 1st prize ex æquo, Category A (fixed medium), Musica Nova 1994, Prague (Czech Republic)
- Mention, Stockholm Electronic Arts Award 1995, Stockholm (Sweden)
About this sound recording
This work was reprocessed, remixed and remastered in the composer’s studio in 2001-02.
- Composer(s): Paul Dolden
- Year of composition: 1992-93
- Duration: 15:49
- Instrumentation: stereo fixed medium
- ISRC: CAD500316720
