Patterns to punctuate speech, with darkness

Beschreibung
"I once more explore the potential of punctuation as an artistic principle for the compositional process. For the video online, a performance version (with voice & contrabass recorder) was recorded. My performance can only be watched during a live-setting.
The process of punching holes: is similar to how I compose. I punch a single hole at a time, yet there is a sense of an ongoing action taking place. I start from single thoughts, sounds, into more & more complex structures. There is a characteristic sound from the punch tool, a rhythm. The pattern recorded for the video is ‘improvised’, I had no plan. I started from the empty punchcard score. In composing, I start from silence.

I comment what I do. The holes I punch can form into patterns, if their number increases. I argue that perception as an enactive process joins single events into patterns. The extraordinary punctuates the habitual. I investigate how I evaluate the potentiality of a group of holes to turn into a pattern. The third hole is crucial; the eye or the ear joins the single events into a figure, a rhythm.

An alpine landscape. My hands, punching. Texts. I add live instrumental sound, I perform with my contrabass  recorder. The instrument punctuates voice and electronics. I perform the text and contrabass recorder at the same time, in some passages literally simultaneous.

What I do as an artist is rooted in Austria’s recent history. The country where I come from is exquisitely beautiful. Austria has a rich musical tradition. Underneath the beauty, there is darkness. Things are hidden. This is not what tourists are supposed to see. But I listen to the hidden voices.

At school, I learned the art of female handcrafting. Pattern-making. Stitch by stitch. What I work on will not be a pleasant pattern to look at. No decoration. I punctuate the beauty of the landscape to vent the wrath underneath.

Punctuation is a step towards complexity and depth in my work & life. Patterns unfold as the process continues. This is a very personal journey, yet quite Austrian, too."
Pia Palme (2015)

Uraufführung
2015
Mitwirkende: Pia Palme (Kontrabassblockflöte/Text bzw. Stimme/Sound/punchcard work und Video)

Aufnahme
Titel: Patterns to punctuate speech: a phenomenology of composing.
Plattform: Vimeo
Herausgeber: Palmeworks
Datum: 22 Juni 2015
Mitwirkende: Pia Palme