Difference between revisions of "Stoicheia"

Revision as of 17:22, 24 November 2014

General Info

Year: 1987/88
Duration: c. 65:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: James Wood Edition
Cost: Score and Parts - Contact Composer | Score Only - $125.00

Movements

Instrumentation

Earth Group:
2 solo percussionists
percussion ensemble of 6 players

Constellation Group:
percussion ensemble of 7 players
4 MIDI keyboards

Tape and amplification

Program Notes

Stoicheion (Gr):
1 Element - component into which matter is ultimately divisible
Empedocles named the four 'Risdomata' (early form of the word 'Stoicheion') as Fire, Air, Earth and Water.
2 Simple sound of speech (first component of a syllable)
3 Fundamental principle
4 Shadow of a sundial, and the Signs of the Zodiac

Aristoxenes (third century musical theorist) wrote three books of 'Stoicheia Harmonika' and two of 'Stoicheia Rhythmika' which show us the astonishingly sophisticated state of harmonic, melodic and rhythmic evolution 300 years before Christ.

Whilst the actual composition of Stoicheia took place between September 1987 and March 1988, preparations for it go back to 1982. During this period I devoted much time to the study of many ancient rhythmic techniques, in particular those of Ancient Greek metre, Indonesian Gamelan techniques, Indian and Chinese rhythms, as well as what survives of Aristoxenes' Theory of Rhythm. My purpose has never been to imitate or extract any part of these rhythms - rather I have sought the 'key' to the physical, psychological and aesthetic effects they have on us. I then used these ancient fundamental principles as the foundation of my own particular rhythmic techniques. The musicians in Stoicheia are divided into a central group, representing the Earth, and an outer group, representing the Constellations:

Earth Group: Two solo percussionists A 'Chorus' of six percussionists

Constellation-Group: Seven percussionists playing twelve groups of bells (=the twelve Signs of the Zodiac) arranged around the edge of the hall. Three of these players join the 'Chorus' during Part II . Four MIDI keyboard players (whose sound is spatialised around the hall), two triggering Yamaha TX16W Samplers, and two triggering TX8O2 Synthesisers. A supporting computer-generated soundfile (also spatialised around the hall) also forms a part of the Constellation-Group.

The bulk of the music is played by the central Earth-Group - their three sections (Parts I, II and III) are framed by four 'Seasons' played by the surrounding Constellation-Group of bells, keyboards and soundfile. The twelve Constellations are laid out around the edge of the hall in the correct order - the Constellation-Group perform only the six or seven 'Signs' which can be seen during a particular season at a constant latitude and time. As each new season presents a partially new set of six or seven 'Signs', the seven bell-players take up correspondingly new positions at the instruments which represent those Signs. Consequently during the course of the work they gradually revolve around the audience almost one complete turn (Plate 1). Stoicheia runs continuously for 65 minutes, and the form of the work can be followed, if desired, with reference to the following diagram: See PDF in link

toicheia as ‘Elements'
The instrumentation in Stoicheia embraces a wide spectrum of resonant materials -
stones: slabs of mica-schist collected from Loch Glascarnoch in Scotland - this is very old, very hard and brittle, metamorphosed rock - hence its resonant quality. slabs of marble.
metals: brass, bronze, aluminium, steel.
glass: bottles of different sizes as well as Cloud Chamber Bowls
wood: many kinds of wooden instruments of which the principal ones are the two large Kenthong (Javanese log-drums made from the wood of the Jack-Fruit tree).
bamboo: Eucal Blossom, clappers, buzzers and chimes.
vegetation: many kinds of rattles, maracas etc.
skin: a large array of drums from many different countries, of which the principal ones are Senegalese bugurabu and doundoun.
whistles: many kinds of whistles from Java and Brazil
voice: the use of the human voice is both symbolic and structural - it represents the very soul of life on Earth, and is heard at the opening, the mid-point and the end of the Earthmusic, like three musical pillars.

In addition to the multitude of these natural sounds are a large variety of electronic sounds - the indigenous natural sounds of the twentieth century

Review

...a work that needs to be experienced live, since it relies much on the spatial distribution of its forces and, moreover, on a very special ritualistic, communal atmosphere and metaphysical aesthetic. Stoicheia owes little to traditional Western forms, procedures or ideas and yet, after a single hearing, it draws you into its unique world.' Antony Bye, Tempo, March 91^[1]

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Additional Resources

References

↑ http://www.choroi.net/percens.htm

[1] ttp://www.choroi.net/percens.htm

[1]

@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 The bulk of the music is played by the central Earth-Group - their three sections (Parts I, II and III) are framed by four 'Seasons' played by the surrounding Constellation-Group of bells, keyboards and soundfile. The twelve Constellations are laid out around the edge of the hall in the correct order - the Constellation-Group perform only the six or seven 'Signs' which can be seen during a particular season at a constant latitude and time. As each new season presents a partially new set of six or seven 'Signs', the seven bell-players take up correspondingly new positions at the instruments which represent those Signs. Consequently during the course of the work they gradually revolve around the audience almost one complete turn (Plate 1). Stoicheia runs continuously for 65 minutes, and the form of the work can be followed, if desired, with reference to the following diagram: [http://www.choroi.net/Stoicheia.pdf See PDF in link]
+<B>toicheia as ‘Elements'</b><br>
+The instrumentation in Stoicheia embraces a wide spectrum of resonant materials -<Br>
+stones: slabs of mica-schist collected from Loch Glascarnoch in Scotland - this is very old, very hard and brittle, metamorphosed rock - hence its resonant quality. slabs of marble.<br>
+metals: brass, bronze, aluminium, steel. <br>
+glass: bottles of different sizes as well as Cloud Chamber Bowls<br>
+wood: many kinds of wooden instruments of which the principal ones are the two large Kenthong (Javanese log-drums made from the wood of the Jack-Fruit tree). <br>
+bamboo: Eucal Blossom, clappers, buzzers and chimes.<br>
+vegetation: many kinds of rattles, maracas etc.<br>
+skin: a large array of drums from many different countries, of which the principal ones are Senegalese bugurabu and doundoun.<br>
+whistles: many kinds of whistles from Java and Brazil<br>
+voice: the use of the human voice is both symbolic and structural - it represents the very soul of life on Earth, and is heard at the opening, the mid-point and the end of the Earthmusic, like three musical pillars.<br>
+In addition to the multitude of these natural sounds are a large variety of electronic sounds - the indigenous natural sounds of the twentieth century<br>