Sequitur

The Nacheinander. (...)
That is the ineluctable modality of the audible.

James Joyce: Ulysses - chapter III

About

Sequitur is a series of 14 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 Max/MSP. 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 the 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.

In other words: A strict and mechanical construction principle of the canon (hence the title Sequitur from the latin word which translates into "it follows") is subversively excavated. This finally results in an unpredictable system that in fact uses the input of the soloist as its basic material but also shows an autonomous and surprising behaviour.

Finally, the computer-generated canon structures run through a series of sound transformers (like ringmodulator, detuner, flanger and comb filter) where the sonic shape of the sound is being altered. These are controlled by a sequence of pre-composed preset which can be evoked by the player by pressing the space bar on his computer keyboard according to the indications of the score. At each key stroke, the next preset will be loaded which gradually changes the realtime sound processing.

The title Sequitur advertently relates to the famous "Sequenze" of Luciano Berio. It is an attempt to write a series of pieces which take advantage of the idiosyncratic instrumental possibilities - and confront them with a realtime sound processing environment that has its own secret life.

Seit 2008 arbeitet Karlheinz Essl an dem 14-teiligen Zyklus Sequitur für unterschiedlichste Soloinstrumente und Live-Elektronik, der an die berühmten Sequenze von Luciano Berio anknüpft. Hatte dieser einst prototypische Solostücke geschaffen, in denen die jeweiligen Instrumente mit all ihren klanglichen Finessen virtuos in Szene gesetzt werden, so geht es Essl um die Erweiterung dieses Ansatzes unter Einbeziehung der Live-Elektronik: Ein penibel auskomponierter und live gespielter Solopart wird via Mikrophon in ein eigens dafür geschaffenes Computerprogramm eingespeist, das daraus in Echtzeit einen elektronischen Kontrapunkt generiert. Diese “Begleitung” wird ausschließlich vom Input des Soloinstruments bestimmt, das mit sich selbst in vielfache Beziehung tritt. Wie in einem Spiegelkabinett lösen sich die ursprünglichen Identitäten auf und erzeugen ein komplexes Beziehungsgefüge, das einen tranceartigen Sog ausübt.

Compositions

The Sequitur cycle consists of 14 individual compositions for various solo instruments. By clicking on the red titles below, you'll find more information about a specific piece which also includes scores, recordings and videos which are free for download.

Download

Scores, recordings and videos can be downloaded by clicking onto the red titles of the individuals pieces in the table above. Although the download is free, the music is protected by copyright and released under a Creative Commons licence.

Updated: 11 Aug 2010