Erst
Output Type
Performance
Publication Title
Scale Variable 2015
Publisher
Tura New Music & Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
RAS ID
20520
Description
An Erst is a term for the first swarm of bees. Ironically, it also means ‘long ago’ in old English - ironic because bee populations are dangerously low, a most likely consequence of matters such as the loss of flower meadows, mite attack, climate change, and the use of pesticides. Bees pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. This piece uses the patterns created by Ersts as a score for the ensemble. It also uses compositional materials that turn multiple small parts into drones. Like the bee populations themselves, these patterns fade in and out, sometimes hard to see or hear, in amongst the noise, until they disappear all together. The score is a set of ‘cards’ that appear in a different order each time the piece is played, overlapping to create dynamic shapes. Coloured blocks indicate instructions for the electronics.
Additional Information
Erst was composed by Cat Hope and performed as part of Anime, Concert 3 of the Scale Variable 2015 series, at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts on 5 September 2015.
DECIBEL ENSEMBLE
Cat Hope: Artistic Director, flute, bass, electronics
Lindsay Vickery: reeds, composition, score design, electronics
Stuart James: piano, percussion, composition, electronics, MaxMSP, spatialisation
Tristen Parr: violoncello
Aaron Wyatt: violin/viola, iOS programming
Louise Devenish: percussion
Sound Design: Johannes Mulder
Technical Assistants: Laura Halligan, Jean-Michel Maujean
Comments
Hope, C., Vickery, L., James, S., Parr, T., Wyatt, A., & Devenish, L. (2015). Erst. Perth, Western Australia: Tura New Music, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts.
https://decibelnewmusic.com/event/anime/
https://vimeo.com/138531674