Liaisons mécaniques (2007), 10m00s

Krrrchstchack.

The event is triggered by a profound attachment to physical matter and nostalgia of an era I did not live through: the era of machines, real ones, set in motion by physical mechanisms.

I proceeded to gather peaces of machines and gears. My collection held reminiscent objects: cameras, 8mm projectors, music boxes and antique toys. I discovered naturally rich materials made of different granular textures and an abundance of micro-articulations. The gears are expressive and precise; they engage a defined process.

I sampled the small objects before deconstructing them, splitting them, dividing them up. From these fragments, I constructed new gears. I wanted to maintain, as much as possible, the essence of the physical characteristics of the sounds. The only thing left to do was to activate the musical mechanics.

In this context, the gears are release mechanisms. They engage a change in space, a material transformation, a stop, a change of direction or simply another mechanism. They play a double role: sound material and transition between events, just as the ties and slurs of musical writing.

The structure of Liaisons mécaniques is inspired by the circular and repetitive movements of the gears. The arc form presents the same elements at the beginning and at the end, which brings to light the antithesis evoked by the work: stability and recurrence.

Liaisons mécaniques is commissioned by Musiques & Recherches (Belgium) and was realized with the support of the Conseil des arts des lettres du Québec (CALQ) and the Agence Québec-Wallonie-Bruxelles. The work was awarded the 2nd prize at CIMESP 2007 (Brazil) and a mention at Música Viva 2007 (Portugal).

Performances

Akousma (4)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Miguel Azguime: Itinéraire du sel