De Profundis Clamavi
(hommage à Alban Berg)
This piece is based on a technique derived from visual art, put into practice by Gerhard Richter over the last twenty years: one layer of a painting is almost entirely covered over by another, more dense layer. The first layer may consist of an image, such as a landscape, which remains recognisable despite the fact that is almost completely concealed; or, this antecedent layer may be visible only as flashes of colour piercing through a vast black exterior. My use of this technique is a reaction to the constant flow of commercial images and sounds encountered in both public and private spaces, as the act of seeking out sounds might be considered as the exact opposite of the passive mode in which one usually receives this influx. In this case, the first layer consists of a ‘re- reading’ of the Lyric Suite of Alban Berg, chosen for its historical importance as well as its significant place in the repertoire of the Arditti Quartet. In this re-reading, the Baudelaire poem that served as a point of reference for Alban Berg - De Profundis Clamavi, excerpted from the Flowers of Evil – is reintegrated into the music itself through the use of the electronics.
De Profundis Clamavi (hommage à Alban Berg) is dedicated to the Arditti Quartet. I would like to thank Eric Daubresse, Thomas Goepfer, the IRCAM technical staff, and the administration of Acanthes for all of their support.
