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Concerto pour piano MIDI (1989) 12m53s imed_9003-1.1 | 14062 |[3 movements] MIDI piano, synthesizers, samplers, and tape Composer: Alain Thibault Jacques Drouin, MIDI piano Commission: Jacques Drouin, with support from the CCA Premiere: November 8, 1989, Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur (Montréal, Québec) The Concerto pour piano MIDI (Concerto for MIDI Piano) with its classical concerto form, is made of three movements (moderately fast, slow, fast) and one cadenza at the end of the first movement. The orchestra is substituted by computer controlled synthesizers and samplers. This piece, initially composed for the Yamaha MIDI grand piano, juxtapose electronic sounds produced by the Yamaha TX816 synthesizer to the acoustic piano sonority without ever masking the latter. It was important to always have the acoustic piano sound be heard in order to reveal the musician’s performance. During the composition of the Concerto pour piano MIDI I looked for the specificities of the musician and of the machine (the computer) and for an area common to both. I used the synthesizers to produce an ensemble whose sonority is close to acoustic instruments. However the computer allows the use of combinations, articulations and homorhythms impossible to obtain with human performers. The soloist, though tied to the nightmarish precision of the tape, brings to the music elements of expression and emotion. This merging of specificities invites the musician to enter the dangerous and risky region of the immutable precision of the computer. His performance sensibility brings to the piece the organic quality essential to musical creation. [iii-90] The present version of the Concerto pour piano MIDI substitutes a MIDI controller and sampler for the MIDI grand piano and was recorded by Jacques Drouin at the composer’s studio in March 1990. The piece was composed in 1989 and was premiered by Jacques Drouin on November 8th, 1989 during a concert of the Nouvel ensemble moderne (NEM) at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur in Montréal. The Concerto pour piano MIDI was commissioned by Jacques Drouin with the assistance of the Canada Council [for the Arts]. Thanks to Stan Zielinski, to Yamaha (Canada), to Archambault Musique, and to Lorraine Vaillancourt. 1a. 1er mouvement (1989) 5m48s imed_9003-1.1.1a | 23719 |Composer: Alain Thibault 1b. 2e mouvement (1989) 3m04s imed_9003-1.1.1b | 23720 |Composer: Alain Thibault 1c. 3e mouvement (1989) 4m01s imed_9003-1.1.1c | 23721 |Composer: Alain Thibault Composer: Alain Thibault Pauline Vaillancourt, soprano Commission: CEE with the support from the Ontario Arts Council Premiere: February 22, 1988, Du Maurier Theatre — Harbourfront Centre (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) The title of this work comes from a book by Japanese writer Yukio Mishima. Le soleil et l’acier (Sun and Steel) refers to the types and processing of the sounds used in the composition and orchestration but mostly to the contrasts that it can trigger in our mind (such as: organic/synthetic, energy/inertia…). The piece has nothing to do with the book of Mishima and does not use any text; the choice of the phonemes is left to the singer. In fact, this piece is inspired by the first hexagram of the Yi King, “K’ien/The Creator” which is composed of six full lines corresponding to the original power, yang, which is luminous, strong, spiritual and active; its image is the sky. The hexagram includes also the power of time, the power of perseverance in time, the duration (see Yi King, The Book of Transformations by Richard Wilhelm). [iii-90] Le soleil et l’acier was produced at the composer’s studio in Montréal and was premiered by Pauline Vaillancourt on February 22nd, 1988 at the Du Maurier Theatre in Toronto. The current version was reworked in March 1990 for the play Rivage à l’abandon by Heiner Müller produced by the Carbone 14 theater company (directed by Gilles Maheu) and was recorded at the Studio Nostre Dame (recording engineer: Jean Corriveau) in Montréal. The piece was commissioned by the Canadian Electronic Ensemble (CEE) with assistance of the Ontario Arts Council. OUT (1985) 13m29s imed_9003-1.3 | 14064 |God’s Greatest Gift; Nô-Where; Impossible Orchestra; OUT-Réalité Composer: Alain Thibault Premiere: December 5, 1985, Spectrum (Montréal, Québec) This piece was originally composed for my video opera OUT which combines electroacoustics with video projection on 30 monitors and 2 giant screens, live digital video processing and MIDI video switching system, electronic percussion (Octapad and Kat MIDI controllers), MIDI saxophone (PitchRider MIDI converter) and soprano voice. OUT tells the story of a being who travels mentally through simulated universes called “OUT-Realities.” In the year 2084, the world government led by a clone of President Reagan, rules the “OUT-Realities” psychic immigration for the earth inhabitants. Illusion and hallucination become everyday life and the way to eternal peace for those who cross over from the “in” to the “out” realities. [iii-90] The current version—shortened and for tape—of OUT was realized in 1986 and is in four sections: God’s Greatest Gift; Nô-Where; Impossible Orchestra; OUT-Réalité. The first section is constructed around a quote from a television speech by Ronald Reagan on abortion: “God’s greatest gift is human life.” The second and third sections may be performed live with MIDI instruments. The fourth section was extracted from a music video documenting the video opera. OUT was realized at the Fairlight Studio of the Faculty of Music of Université de Montréal and was premiered at the Spectrum de Montréal on December 5th, 1985 by the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ). A new version of the video opera was presented in September 21st, 1987 by New Music Concerts in Toronto. Thanks to Robert Leroux. Composer: Alain Thibault 4. Nô-Where (1985) 3m37s imed_9003-1.3.4 | 14066 |Composer: Alain Thibault 5. Impossible Orchestra (1985) 3m32s imed_9003-1.3.5 | 14067 |Composer: Alain Thibault 6. OUT-Réalité (1985) 3m36s imed_9003-1.3.6 | 14068 |Composer: Alain Thibault 7. ELVIS (Électro-lux, vertige illimité synthétique) (1985) 13m50s imed_9003-1.7 | 14069 |saxophone quartet, and tape Composer: Alain Thibault Quatuor de saxophones de Montréal Premiere: August 15, 1985, Digicon ’85 (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) The different sections of the piece come from the eight mutation phases of life as described by Timothy Leary in his book Exo-psychology.
[iii-90] Originally composed as a multimedia work with computer controlled visual support designed by Jacques Collin, this version of ELVIS (Électro-lux, vertige illimité synthétique) was realized in 1987 in the studio of the Faculty of Music of Université de Montréal (recording technician: Michel Bédard) and at the studio Bruit blanc (Montréal). It was premiered on August 15th, 1985 at the 2nd Conference on Computer Art and Creativity, Digicon ’85 in Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada). The composition of this piece was made possible with the financial assistance of the Canada Council [for the Arts] and the ministère des Affaires culturelles du Québec. Saxophone arrangement: Walter Boudreau. 8. Volt (1987) 13m37s imed_9003-1.8 | 14070 |Composer: Alain Thibault Commission: Arraymusic Premiere: April 4, 1987, Rivoli Club (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Volt was originally composed in 1987 for synthesizers, electric bass, MIDI percussions, marimba and tape. The present recording is the computer controlled studio version. Volt was commissioned by the Toronto ensemble Arraymusic and was premiered at the Rivoli Club in Toronto on April 4th, 1987, during a special event of the regular concert series. The concert was entitled “Modern Electronics” and was made of works with pop or rock influences written by composers from the contemporary music sphere. Thanks to Henry Kucharzyk. electrocd.com Alain Thibault: Volt: track detail |
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