BASS AFFAIR

electric bass solo

by Volker Heyn [2001/02]

 

commissioned by the City of Bühl/Baden / Germany for Interzone perceptible

 

duration: 6'30

 

[first peformed: Bühl/Baden / Germany within the scope of the festival kopfHörer/experimentelle musik elektrovisuell, july 5th. 2002]

For us Volker's most intense pieces are Duos, but above all also solo pieces. In 2000 he composed for us the wonderful BURROUGHS' BELLOWS, after as long ago as 1995 Sven convinced him with the interpretation of Volker's accordion solo piece QUÊTSCH. The cosequence was, asking Volker for a solo piece for electric bass.

 

Volker wrote about his piece:

 

The only sounds of the not amplified string instrument that are worth mentioning are at the same time the least audible ones. To present them to an audience in their pure, unamplified form is problematic...

impossible? What could be called the "better" sounds are such as take place below the fat and complacent vibrating surface.

These are the modified, subversive [sound] events that cannot live up to their full potential; set free by special techniques.

They carry within themselves a mixture of sound variety, poetry and rebellious agression. And still are soft, hardly perceptible signals. "Electritiy" is needed, to make the compositional idea audible.

 

About the electric bass... and about bass affair: An attempt to bridge the gap between asketicly applied electronic machinery and live instrumental sound. Texture and form depend greatly on how the musical idea can be realised - through the material... a workshop process.

Matthias and Volker rehearsing (2000)