Mark Rais
15 years of Estonian electroacoustic music
Last year Estonian electroacoustic music has observed its anniversary - first Estonian computer and electronic compositions were created in 1978.
Strictly speaking, the fore-history of the Estonian electroacoustic music began in 1966, when Arno Rohlin has intended to create the computer opuses. With this purpose he went to work into the computer center of the Estonian Radio.
But at that time the production of the computer center was secret, and Rohlin could not use the computers for musical-creative aims. In the end he became a prominent structural musicologist. The second attempt to create computer compositions was bound with the Arvo Paert's name. But Paert believed that, in conditions of Soviet Estonia, it is impossible to create a finished computer composition by political reasons. And, as far as I know, in the list of Paert's compositions computer music is absent.
By chance I was the composer, who created the first finished computer opus in Estonian music. Of course, this chance was from these natural chances, which would happen in any case. Estonia in 1978 had a strong composer potential. Systems based on the computations were widely spread in the composers practice (for example, A. Paert's Tintinnabulisystem), The acoustics, the psychoacoustics and the mathematical musicology developed successfully... (works by A. Rohlin, M. Remmel, I. Rueuetel, J. Sarv, U. Lippus, J. Ross and others).
On other hand, at that time our ignorance was our advantage. In the laboratories were then only the computers of the first generation; and my point of view on the computer music in 1978 was similar to Xenakis's one approximately a quarter of century before this time: I thougt that one can only create music on the computers and one must perform it by traditional way. I have found all structures, numerical correlations and principles of form-building for my computer music in my traditional compositions and partly in acoustical systems by J. Soonvald and J. Ross (the last was the programmer of my first computer opus "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"). The form of this music is based on the dodecaphony, the computer regulated the using of series, the diapason of chords and the disposition of culminations. The result was performed on the synthesizer. This composition was momentally forbidden, and at pressent its recording is lost. Some time I experimented with tape-recorders, speech synthesizers and samplers, cre
At the same time Estonian electroacoustic music began to develop by the different way. In the same 1978 year Sven Gruenberg has presented in the Union of Composers the first Estonian electronic composition "The Path". At that time electronic and computer music differed very much both in the purposes, and in the expressive means. The aim of computer music was to find new, more exact principles of the formbuilding. The concrete sounding was on the second plan, at the worst the compromise in the form or live performance was possible. For electronic music were important first of all namely new soundings, new timbres. Performance on the synthesizers was obligatory. The form firstly was found intuitively, sometimes even improvisationically. All this lines were in full measure characteric for the Gruenberg's composition "The Path". It was the creative manifesto for the author: afterwards he created only electronic music.
The best compositions of the first period of Gruenberg's creative work were composed on the synthesizer "ANS" in Moscow. Later he began to use the personal computers. Gruenberg's compositions are most national in all Estonian electroacoustic music. Their originality is in always new timbres and in the reflection of the intensification of the process of the national protest against the totalitarian system. The most important pieces by Gruenberg are "Reflections" (1981-87) - a light composition with oriental intonations - and "OM" (1984-87) - tragically difficult picture of human soul.
Erkki-Sven Tueuer was firstly perceived as a cretive opposition to Gruenberg. In his early compositions he attracted attention namelybecause of the exact form. His "Symphony for Seven Peformers" (1980) for ensemble with two synthesizers was perceived firstly just in this key. It seemed that Tueuer is a composer of the "Gruenberg's school", true, with quite original face - because in his music there were also the connections with the light music and because his compositions were also underlined colourful. Only afterwards, when Tueur became well-known as author of symphonies, oratoria and traditional chamber music (as well exact by form and colourful), one could understand that he is most striking continuer of the classical traditions in the Estonian electroacoustic music. For Tueuer, both synthesizer, and also computer had not already an element of the novelty. In principle his traditional and electroacoustic opuses have the same form-buiding. Maybe, therefore he likes to compose for ensemb
In Estonia there are at present different ways of using of electroacoustic equipment, depending on composers individualities. I will give here some portraits of Estonian electroacoustic composers. Of course, my choice is subjective.
Velentina Goncharova uses neither synthesizer nor computer in principle. She is not only composer, but also performer. Her compositions ("Ocean","Atlantis rising","Asgard","Dynamics","Metamorphoses", "Golden Radiance" and others) are created for traditional instruments- western or Oriental, - whose sound is changed with help of different electroacoustic devices; sometimes these unsual sounds are recorded on the tape. The composer considers herself to be a continuer of the traditions of "new age" and free jazz. The basis of her compositions are meditative Oriental and European systems (more of Middle Ages). The compositions by Goncharova are very colourful.
Lepo Sumera used synthesizers already in the traditional scores, for example, in ballet "Anselm's Story" (1977). The computers came into his creative work as organic component part. True, firstly Sumera used computers only for the the form-building og his compositions, which were intended for the live performance (for example, the Third Symphony). Sumera also created synthesizer music ("From 29 to 49"). Last time the using of electronic equipment becomes more difficult ("Child of Dracula and Zombie"). Sumera is a great connoisseur of electroacoustic equipment and a good teacher. As rule, all best Estonian young computer composers are his students.
Peeter Vaehi's creative work is absolutely original. The composer finds his spiritual ideals in the epoch of baroque or in the art of Orient, which he investigates as a musicologist. Sometimes his electronic and computer compositions remind us of stylisations. Majority of his opuses are tonal; they have often a program ("2000 Years After Christ's Birth", "The Path to the Heart of Asia"). A great number of Vaehi's compositions are created for traditional instruments or voices and electroacoustic sounds. From imitates often the forms of baroque or Oriental music ("Fugue and Hymn", "Relaxation", "Nine Mantras").
Igor Garshnek created also a great number of compositions in the field of electroacoustic music. Among them are both opuses for synthesizer solo ,and also music, created with the help of computer. He has many compositions with the participation of the traditional instruments. His oratorio "Cattle Yard" after G. Orwell is most worthy the attention. This is a successful attempt of synthesis between traditional genre and computer art.
Alo Mattiisen began to use computer in the accompaniment to songs. Gradually his compositions became more difficult from the standpoint both of the expressive means, and also of their form-building. He opened for him new possibilities of computer. The timbre palette of his music became more wide, in the sense - more deep. His monumental composition "Rows" indicates that at present Mattiisen is a complete structuralist. Only clear tonal basis and themes as basis of the formbuilding are kept by Mattiisen from the light music.
From more young composers I would mark out very gifted Ariel Lagle and Rauno Remme. Lagle's music is deep by sense, various by used means, very colourful and exact by form. He uses successfully noise effects ("Pouring of Gold"). Some of his compositions are created by special schemes ("Psychalgia").
Rauno Remme last time bents to the large forms ("Abstructions" for piano, violoncello, contrabass and synthesizers). He works also on the field of the multimedia.
At present Estonian electroacoustic music develops successfully. The quantity of studios in Estonia quickly increases; true, one cannot yet compare them with European ones. One creates in Estonia original equipment (musical computers, samplers) and computers programs. One performs the Estonian electroacoustic compositions both in the republic, and also outwards. They are recorded on the cassette tapes and CD-s , one publishes in the magazines special articles about different aspects of electroacoustic music. Last time one speaks more about electroacoustic music on radio and TV. In 1989 in the territory of Estonia was created the Computer Music and Musical Informatics Associations, at present, besides that, in republic there exist at least two more organizations, which are interested in electroacoustic music. And we wait for time, when the studios in Estonia are on the world level.
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