Friday, October 23, 2009

Sequitur by Karlheinz Essl


Karlheinz Essl is a modern day musician using the human voice, conventional as well as electronic instruments. They complement each other in his compositions. His music reminds me somewhat of the one of Robert Fripp (King Crimson) or Eno. Fortunately Essl is very open in sharing his music.

If you need an in try Sequitur IX (2008) for voice and live-electronics (mezzo-soprano and live electronics, in about the center of the page of the first link below), or Sequitur I (2008) for flute and live-electronics.

Sequitur is a series of compositions for solo instruments and live-electronics written for outstanding soloists. The aim is to create various pieces which use the same computer program -- the so-called Sequitur-Generator written in MaxMSP. It generates a complex 8-part canon from the instrument's live input as an accompaniment. Unlike traditional canons, the individual canonic layers do not enter at regular intervals but in a sort of acceleration which results in an increasing structural density. Moreover, the single canonic layers are getting gradually distorted - as if they were decaying. And at last, the 8 parts do not always play together, but are constantly cross-faded by using random operations which results in every-changing and unforeseeable structural interactions where the canon can vary between 1 and 8 voices.

Link with many recordings to listen to or to download much more here, including videos, scores and MIDI.

Essl's Main Page