Claire Chase
Claire Chase’s appearance made possible by the generous support of Kip McBane
Saturday, September 21
Carlsbad Village Theatre (map)
7:45-8:30
Performers’ Names:
Claire Chase, flutes
Levy Lorenzo, sound engineer
Program:
Steve Reich (b. 1936) … Vermont Counterpoint (1982)
Marcos Balter (b. 1974) … Pessoa (2013)*
Alvin Lucier (b. 1931) … Almost New York (2002)
Mario Diaz de León (b. 1979) … Luciform (2013)*
Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) … Density 21.5 (1936)
*West Coast Premiere
Claire is grateful to Doriot Anthony Dwyer and Anne Pollock for the generous use of a platinum Powell flute for this performance of Density 21.5.
Notes:
Program notes by Laura Mullen in homage to Octavio Paz
Steve Reich (b. 1936) Vermont Counterpoint (1982)
Up to now now up to her turning a river curving as other parts of the contrapuntal web new now beginning layered on beginning as water carries whatever it’s been through body shifting within body emerging combinations turn commissioned this bright coursing of live and recorded flows going “plus a live solo” forward as well as “as well as more extended melodies” away reversals of rest turning new proposals vanished into advances melodies eleven layered others all our lady of the flute and intended primarily as a solo a certain clarity “I would turn everything I experienced into a reason to make something new” for 11 flutes (piccolos, flutes, alto flutes) arriving forever,
Marcos Balter (b. 1974) Pessoa (2013)
Um sopro arrefecido soft procession solo bass waver “the other five” “‘chorus’” wave over tentative wave lit dimming until all is one haunting exposure slowed to acceptance between shimmering “a concertino of some sort” stations in the course of a journey among densities Tal me alta na alma a lenta ideia voa actual presence a slow dissolve of song “very dark and lyrical” elegy opens to understanding drowned in a burning the other five are the “chorus” flutter and they will disappearing return to tone to sort of embellish season a long look holding the whole world for 6 bass flutes suspended
Alvin Lucier (b. 1931) Almost New York (2002)
Now the world repetition and transformation the essential givens of earlier after each note the performer to turn to a different moving around the soundstage now the cycles through synthetic drone against which now the world a thing of icy calm and crystalline beauty such extensions withdrawing (at the horizon of hearing) now the world visible through your body pure-wave slow-sweep as differences between multiple transparent now the world through your transparency protracted journey galleries of sound flow among resonant
for 5 flutes (piccolo, flute, alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute) and pure wave oscillators presences
Mario Diaz de León (b. 1979) Luciform (2013)
Seeking a transgression of boundaries “light-forms” projections of one’s own wakefulness through which our lady of the flute and forms of light goes this concerto for Claire I imagined my body as a vast black chamber waves of light rapidly and lightning flash Chase inward gate of our being this movement through a series of vision states gate of awaken me bring this dawn a difficult passage as the sounds from their form as external environment move I want to go on everything speaks now everything an extension of the soloist’s voice is transformed I want to go on to go on beyond and I want to go beyond I for flute and electronics the moment scatters itself
Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) Density 21.5 (1936)
The sun o the sun forced an entrance only solo unfastened in these silences a furnace of tension as if something ferocious horrific was about to yet beauty and lyricism everywhere being a maze of straight lines swells jet streams stars shooting in space written at the request of Georges Barrère for the magic of reflections the premiere of his platinum its density being close to 21.5 grams per cubic centimeter and even in the most aggressive gestures resurrects two melodic ideas one modal and one atonal this “deliberate wildness” sound for the first time not just as line but as light heat air to metal turning course of a river that goes on curving asking us only to show up as breath to only turn (alone) and accept the enormous possibility
for flute alone* forever arriving
