asinglewordisnotenough
Pierre Alexandre Tremblay
Programme notes
“Traduttore, traditore,” says the Italian proverb. “Traduire, c’est avoir l’honnêteté de s’en tenir à une imperfection allusive”, nuances the translator Pierre Leyris. The cycle of pieces entitled asinglewordisnotenough looks at the impossibility of translating, firstly, the text, then, the context. The multiple nuances of words and images, flattened, lost, elusive.
Moreover, it is also a reflection on the inexpressible, where music and silence allow some states / sentiments / experiences to be expressed with more power / precision / nuance. Therefore, this suite of pieces should be taken as different expressions of a single impression, whose sense is multiplied by their common / composed / remembered past. Explain / comment / multiply the music by music, or as Harold Bloom says so elegantly
[vi-21]
- Composer(s): Pierre Alexandre Tremblay
Works in this cycle
nureinwortgenügtnicht1
This first piece / iteration / instance is the ‘theme’ of the cycle, in three movements, each musing on one approach to the action of defining
[i-15]
nureinwortgenügtnicht1 [asinglewordisnotenough1] was realized from June 2014 to January 2015 at the composer’s studio in Huddersfield (England, UK) and in the Elektronisches Studios of the Technische Universität Berlin (TU, Germany), and premiered on January 26, 2015 during the CTM Festival at HAU2 in Berlin (Germany). Thanks to Stefan Weinzierl, Volker Straebel, and Andreas Pysiewicz, for the warm inclusion within the community of the studios of the TU
Premiere
- January 26, 2015, CTM Festival 2015
: Un Tune I: Rezza, Tremblay, HAU2 — Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin (Germany) - May 25, 2016, Premiere of the 8-channel version
: EM4 — Berliner Studios für elektroakustische Musik (4): Elektronisches Studio der Technischen Universität Berlin, Akademie der Künste — Hanseatenweg – Studiofoyer, Berlin (Germany)
- Year of composition: 2014-15
- Cycle: asinglewordisnotenough
- Duration: 15:20
- Instrumentation: 5.1-channel fixed medium
- Publisher(s): Ymx média
- ISRC: CAD502110044
asinglewordisnotenough2 (aria da capo)
To Xenia
This second piece / iteration / instance is the return of the suite’s themes, replayed after, and corrupted by, all the other variations
[x-15]
Thanks to Xenia Pestova for her talent, dedication, and patience, and to the Roli team and Sebastian Berweck for their support.
Premiere
- March 26, 2015, Xenia Pestova Bennett, Roli Seaboard keyboard • Frontiers Festival 2015
: Xenia Pestova: Keyboards and Electronics, Adrian Boult Hall — Royal Birmingham Conservatoire — Birmingham City University, Birmingham (England, UK)
- Year of composition: 2014-15
- Cycle: asinglewordisnotenough
- Instrumentation: MIDI keyboard (Roli Seaboard) and system
- Publisher(s): Ymx média
asinglewordisnotenough3 (invariant)
To Seth
This third piece / iteration / instance is the first with a live / acoustic instrument / source. Whereas the original electronic explores the gestural / embodiment limits of fixed media, here the cello reaches for a world of articulated transients / noises / textures / splices. Ideas are expand / shrank / distorted at the limit of recognition, to allow / free their essence from their broken shell.
[ii-16]
Thanks to Seth Parker Woods for his faith, his talent, his enthusiasm and his patience
Premiere
- November 10, 2015, Seth Parker Woods, cello
; Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, diffusion • Seth Parker Woods: Grey Neon Life, Silver Center of Arts and Science — New York University, New York City (New York, USA)
- Year of composition: 2015
- Cycle: asinglewordisnotenough
- Instrumentation: cello and system
- Publisher(s): Ymx média
nureinwortgenügtnicht4 (tausch)
This fourth piece / iteration / instance is exploiting mutations of the three original movements and the three first variations, to unearth the roots / aims / origin of the piece / programme / idea. Recombinations / swaps / merges / blends / hybrids are seen as many perspectives of a single multidimensional object.
[ii-16]
Thanks to Heather Roche and Eva Zöllner, for their immense talent, and for their willingness to explore with me the material in all its states
Premiere
- February 25, 2016, Heather Roche, clarinet
; Eva Zöllner, accordion; Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, processing • Tripclubbing, Stadtgarten – Konzertsaal, Cologne (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany)
- Year of composition: 2016
- Cycle: asinglewordisnotenough
- Instrumentation: clarinet, accordion and system
- Publisher(s): Ymx média
