Nuevos Misterios, for amplified Baroque violin and harpsichord
2009, 16 minutes
commissioned by Flying Forms, with the support of the Composers Assistance Program of the American Music Center
The phrase Nuevos Misterios calls to my mind all at once the mystery cults of the ancient world, the arcana and violence of the Middle Ages, gothic architecture, the Inquisition, the Templars, Gnosticism, and the plain unknown future.
The piece turns out to be something of a travelogue. The title is Madrileņo, and the connective material imitates Japanese insects. It was written to be part of a program that traces the evolution of the violin and harpsichord repertoire from its origins in the 17th century to the present, so there are aspects of the piece that refer to older forms and techniques: a fugue, a very broad version of polytonality (after Milhaud), and a healthy dose of directed improvisation related fashioned around the idea of figured bass and the unmeasured prelude.
Mystery and the evolution of the genre connect in the technology I employ. I decided early on that I not only wanted to amplify the harpsichord and violin, but that even more, I wanted to run them through guitar-style effects pedals to manipulate the sounds that come out of them in real time. In the end, the audience not only sees the unusual mixture of microphones, pedals, and Baroque instruments, but hears both the acoustic sounds coming directly from the instruments and the manipulated sounds coming out of an amplifier on the side of the stage. The resulting disorientation at the intersection of tradition and technology is its own mystery.
Scores and Equipment
If you are interested in a score and parts for Nuevos Misterios, please contact Nissim. As the piece requires 2 mics, 2 pedal boards, and and amp, if you are interested in performing the piece, this equipment is also available from the composer.
Performances
- Premiere: March 29, 2009 by Flying Forms at House of Hope Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
- Pre-premiere: March 26, 2009 by Flying Forms on the Schubert Club's Courtroom Concert at the Landmark Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota.