Medieval fusion styles
Margo Schulter
>
> and it was just the excuse I needed to say hi (hi Margo)
>
> Love
> Roger
>
> P.S. that may seem like an Out Of Place Artifact, but it's not an illusion
> <grin>, and it is sincere (timeless too, imagine).
>
Hi, Roger, and thank you for the opportunity to have many dialogues here.
By the way, I seem to recall that it may have been you who introduced the
idea of "playing under a tree" -- and in any case, you've helped make it
a notable phrase. Some months ago, I posted a piece called _Sub Arbore_
which is thus, among other things, a tribute to you.
The style is rather like a 13th-century European conductus or motet, but
based on a version of the Near Eastern Maqam Rast. The recording which
serves as the basis for this mp3 is actually based on a performance
within sight of some lofty tree branches.
<http://www.bestII.com/~mschulter/SubArbore.mp3>
For anyone who would like a PDF score, with the neutral intervals such
as seconds and thirds shown using sagittal notation:
<http://www.bestII.com/~mschulter/SubArbore.pdf>
More generally, this piece raises the question of whether and how best
Near Eastern and medieval European styles can felicitously be mixed.
There is also a question of balance: how much weight to give to
considerations such as vertical interval progressions and full sonority,
or the melodic integrity of the maqam or mode and idiomatic patterns
of _sayr_ or finding a "path" for a given line.
I hope to record some pieces based on the Persian dastgah system of
modal families soon, and am considering these questions anew.
Most appreciatively,
Margo Schulter
msch...@calweb.com
Roger E. Blumberg
> From: Margo Schulter <msch...@web1.calweb.com>
> Newsgroups: rec.music.early
> Date: 12 Apr 2007 23:01:33 GMT
> Subject: Medieval fusion styles
Margo;
If melding recalls us I'm honored. Big trees are good to get next to. With
one at my back I'm always secure, unseen roots underlay all foundation.
I stumbled on something hearing your clip, a kind of layered round. Two
copies were open, both at once, some seconds of offset apart. A couple of
sync-points do have potential, one about 12 seconds in. Sync to the rhythm,
one rep or another, you'll see what I mean I'm sure. A small bit of leader,
at the beginning, you'll want to trim or allow for. When you punch it just
right, and let it play through, a new life of it's own arises. That things
come together, despite the odds, is amazing to hear and quite stunning.
I'll remember this SubArbore Round one day, with tributes to you, molti
gratsy.
Roger