Latin American Electroacoustic Music Collection

alcides lanza, penetrations V (1970-IV), 1970
(Argentina)



Recording time: 13 min 35 s.
Instruments: For a minimum of ten sound sources, with voices, lights, electronic sounds and electronic extensions.
Recorded at: Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Studio. New York, United States.

Other resources available:
- Biography of alcides lanza
- Compositions by alcides lanza

About this composition:

penetrations V is a composition with a definite message for the human race. The message, however, has to "penetrate" through different barriers: frequency [only very low sounds are used almost all the time]; amplitude [the piece is a continuous field of loud sounds]; technological distortion [everything thas to be amplified and fed back]; language [several languages are used simultaneously].

For several reasons, certain portions of all the material will be understood better by the audience. Other portions when masked by other material will become unintelligible. Words are not to be translated but only a few could be rendered in the local language. Essentially the words will be modified, distorted or converted in just consonants or guttural sounds, screams, whisperings…But, hopefully, the open minded human audience will still get the idea even through all this "towerBabelling". Electronic extensions: as indicated in the score. Lights: as indicated in the score.

Commissioned by ARS NOVA, Malmö, Sweden, to celebrate its 10th Anniversary. Tape part realized at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Centre, NYC.

penetrations V is dedicated to the founder of ARS NOVA, Hans Astrand, Swedish musicologist, choir conductor and a great friend of new music.

Premiered by the ARS NOVA Ensemble, alcides lanza, conductor [Malmö, Nov. 4, 1970].

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