Composed in the week leading up to the 2024 Artacts festival in St Johann in
Tirol, Austria, and performed in the Dekanatspfarrkirche (deanery parish
church) Ingrid Schmoliner’s epic I AM ANIMAL is presented in two parts,
averaging around 20 minutes each. This release on Idyllic Noise is a
recording of the performance commissioned by the festival, which debuted on
March 10, 2024.
Although the organ is notoriously difficult to play, Schmoliner is
impressively confident on the physically demanding instrument. The first
piece performed, "ACHNA," is an especially taxing endurance piece for the
musician. From start to finish, one’s fingers must be absolutely exhausted
from the constant arpeggiating. Underneath is the continuous whirr of the
organ drones, creating a rhythm of its own, like breathing.
A loop of repetitive, steady, notes swirls over a deep, rumbling bass that
is enormous and cinematic. The constant oscillating evokes a sense of
urgency and tension. It’s refreshing to hear such a dark, intense piece
played on an instrument normally reserved for more heavenly hymns and holy
music.
The title “I AM ANIMAL” evokes the primal hunt between predator and prey,
the fight for survival – the harsh elements of winter, and the enormity of
nature. This was amplified on the day of performance by the chilliness of
the weather. Schmoliner herself was also rugged up in layers in order to
perform the works in the freezing chapel. The stoney church-smell and the
crisp, cold air adding to the naturalistic themes of the music.
The second piece, "ASCELLA" is a more straightforward drone piece, made up of heavy deep chords whirring and allowing the natural mechanical buzz of the organ to really show itself off. The lowest notes create layers of brutal, heavy textures. When finally some higher pitches are given the airtime over the top, the tapestry becomes even more intricate and complicated. It’s noisey, but introspective. Avant-garde in every sense: obscure, beautiful, and unsettling.
One has to wonder what the passers by in little St Johann must have been thinking from outside the building – given the sheer obscurity of the piece, perhaps they might have wondered whether the droning organ was, in fact, stuck? Those inside, of course, knew better.
Meditative and transcendental, both compositions and their performance struck a chord with the crowd, many of whom rose to their feet in a standing ovation upon its conclusion – an ovation that unfortunately Schmoliner missed out on viewing for herself, as she was still obstructed up in the organ.
Nevertheless, a rare spectacle, expertly performed and, thankfully,
recorded. Truly a unique work of art, ambitiously composed by a human, with
the gargantuan, fighting spirit of a wild beast.
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