Attention music connoisseurs! During the 2015/2016 season, Trafóklub is presenting a three-part series hosted by Conceptual Soundproductions Budapest, focusing on different musical instruments. On the second evening we will become acquainted with the use of throat microphones as a primary sound source.Conceptual Soundproduction Budapest presents a variety of experimental music and sonic art pieces from all over Europe, and provide audiences and professionals with insightful workshops and concerts by experts in various fields related to sound and performance. The group focuses on experimental and conceptual music as well as contemporary music of the experimental tradition and on the own compositions of its members. The term “experimental” indicates a musical practice that is not primarily output-orientated, but rather investigates in the conditions of music-playing and listening; whereas “conceptual” means an inter-disciplinary artistic approach, that allows to transfer strategies and procedures of visual art into the medium of sound.
The concept of 20th century avant-garde art is basically to liberate art from its artificiality. Art shall no longer be conceived as a form of masterly craftsmanship, but turn into a form of being, and a driving force towards a truly free society. John Cage’s Songbooks, written in 1970, virtually provide a society-model, based on the idea of transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817-64), that the best government is one that governs not at all. According to Thoreau, the government should not be eliminated immediately, but virtually set itself the target of its own elimination. A similar process takes place in 20th century art, and particularly with John Cage, when the preconditions of art and music production are being deconstructed step by step, in view of establishing a situation of conditionality and principally unlimited freedom of art.
With the songbooks, the performer is not being “governed”, but involved in a creative process, where (s)he must take responsibility for composing and arranging his/her own part, thereby being gently instructed by the composer. The Songbooks is basically scored for voices and electronics; by means of microphones the voices are being amplified and transformed.
With: Nikolaus GERSZEWSKI, Conceptual Soundproduction Budapest
