‘And Now for the News‘, for multi percussion and tape (1984 remixed 1999) performed by Louise Devenish, 5 December 2014
www.louisedevenish.com.au
Performance Notes 1984
This piece is based on Vietnamese speech rhythms set against a constant pulse. The performer (s) improvise to a pre-recorded tape, using the transcribed rhythmic material as a basis. The tape is comprised of steady drum pulse and various overlayed segments of male and female voices.
The written score is an approximate transcription of the rhythms in relation to the pulse. Treat the score as a resource for rhythmic ideas – it is not necessary to play in unison with the tape, although there is no reason not to. Counterpoint, unison, ostinato or completely free elements may all be used. Large silences (tape solos) could also he effective.
The piece was conceived as a multi-drum solo and was originally played on a range of eight concert tom-toms from 6″ to 18″. However the
instrumentation is variable and could include wood or metal sounds. Long envelope sounds such as cymbals and tams-tams should be avoided.
Ensemble versions are another possibility, although, due to the inherently complex nature of the rhythms, care should be taken to ensure that clarity is maintained.
Program note 2000
The Vietnamese news was taped from a radio broadcast and set against a constant pulse. The resulting speech-rhythms were transcribed and these transcriptions constitute the score. The player learns this material and interacts with the tape freely, sometimes playing in unison, sometimes improvising and sometimes allowing the tape to ‘solo’ against an ostinato.
I often wonder how I would feel if I attended a concert in Vietnam and saw a performer doing the same with an English news broadcast…
Additional notes 2021
I used to drive around Sydney a lot in the late 70s – early 80s and my favourite AM radio station was 2EA, the relatively new ‘Ethnic Australia’ multi-lingual and multi-cultural station launched in 1975 by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). Programs are broadcast in many languages so at any time you can listen to a mix of sport, news, current affairs, community information and music from a local perspective and in an authentic language.
I had no idea what anyone was actually saying but I loved the musicality and lyricism of the different tongues and the strangeness and beauty of the traditional musics. My favourite was the Vietnamese programme. I noticed that if I listened to Vietnamese speech against an imaginary pulse there were incredibly interesting natural rhythms and pitches sounding, so I recorded a few broadcasts and transcribed them as best I could. I worked with a portable cassette player and recall hitting rewind briefly and repeatedly for many hours.
I performed the piece a lot in my early percussion recitals, alongside works by ‘real’ composers such as Martin Wesley Smith, Carl Vine, Phil Treloar and Keith Humble. Sadly I now realise these are all men..
So the piece was in a way me plucking up the courage to ‘write my own song’ and represents the start of my transition from performer to composer-performer.