The electroacoustic works of Elsa Justel are
striking for their rich morphological invention: canvases made of minuscule
yet consistently varied sounds; stratified figures made of multiple
simultaneous shots, intertwining with one another; tremblings turning into
sharp and lightning objects; objects of all sizes, objects so diverse they
relentlessly keep hold of your attention. This is undeniably a form of music
demanding active listening, a state of awareness to the smallest
palpitations, music that always has rich meanings to unveil, no matter how
many times you listen to it. In fact, the more you listen to it, the more it
becomes both mysterious and habitable. It is music to be cherished for its
sophistication, vividness and subtlety. This music imitates nothing; it is
there, warm and savant, controlled yet free, vigorous and intelligent. It
adds to the real world a presence consisting of its own immanence. It is this
presence that Elsa Justel has been
trying to bring forth, through her unyielding work as a composer, and
succeeding so rightfully that she immediately wins us over. I see Elsa Justel’s
music as surplus life, absolutely essential to our existence.
Like the reflection of masts distorted by the ebb of water, this
collection of music reflects my passion, happiness, anger, and
anguish…
With this disc, I would like to pay tribute to everyone who has exerted an
important influence on my musical thinking. The sensations, reflections and
actions that participated to my learning and creative process are evoked
herein, as in a collage.
The first stimulations from Antonio Galiana, my
harmony teacher at the conservatory; the joy of discovery, as seen through my
own tears, in the composition classes of Virtu Maragno;
the astonishment in front of the paradoxical musical ideas of José Maranzano, who
showed me how music is not made only of sounds; the exhortation to go on with
my adventures from Francisco Kröpfl;
the taste for introspection Horacio
Vaggione’s discretion inspired in me; the warm professional and
personal support of Alex Martinez;
Roger Cochini’s
devotion to composition; the encouragement given by Beatriz Ferreyra
in difficult times; the pleasure of playing with sounds, borrowed from
Thomas Kessler; the
casual drive coming from Carmelo Bernaola;
the art of synthesis in writing revealed by Bohuslav
Schaeffer; the unconditional complicity of my husband Juan Majling; …
and so many people, dead or alive, musicians or not, friends, occasional
acquaintances — the list would go on and on — who contributed to
the development of my vocation as an artist.