Organised Sound

Percussion and noise

Halfway through the twentieth century, composers like Edgar Varèse and John Cage presented percussion as a range of instruments with their own worth. Since then, percussion has played a prominent role in new music through its wealth of both rhythmic and theatrical sound. The early percussion works were therefore also the first compositions in which noise plays a central role. Today it is the laptop artist and electronics specialist who integrates noise into his music. Ever since ‘noise’ came to be regarded as an equal parameter in modern music, John Cage has used the term ‘organised sound’. 

This concert will bring us three first performances of compositions in which percussion and electronics play a central role. Champ d’Action has worked together with Slagwerkgroep Den Haag for many years and incorporates this further into the programme with three works specially written for the combination of the two ensembles. The Cypriot-British-Dutch composer, Iannis Kiriakides, the young Russian composer Dimitri Kourliandski and the Fleming Serge Verstockt (also artistic director of Champ d’Action) are each composing a work for the combination of these two ensembles. We will hear a combination of three to six percussionists, an equal number of ‘ordinary’ instruments and live electronics. This is the sound of the 21st century!

Programme

Iannis Kyriakides, Telegraphic (for synthesizer, cello, double bass, flute, bass clarinet, trombone, telegraphic keys, electronics)
Dmitri Kourliandsky, unsolvable acoustic case (for percussion, piano, cello, double bass, flute, bass clarinet, trombone, noise maker, electronics)
Serge Verstockt, drie (for clarinet, cello, synthesizer, percussion, electronics)