Mark Cauvin – Compositions, Interpretations and Improvisations
Format: Compact disc in gatefold sleeve
Release date: March 2023
Genre: Art Music, Compositional, Avantgarde, Free Improvisation, Experimental, Electronic, Sound Design, Double Bass
W:
markcauvin.com
Mark Cauvin’s third CD album release is a collection of works featuring compositions, interpretations and improvisations with double bass and electronics. He has recorded all these works in analogue format with the aim to convey a sense of sound from another time.
The inspiration for this release comes from experiencing the reading of essays and writings published in Universal Edition’s Die Reihe (1957-1968) and Hermann Scherchen’s Gravesaner Blatter (1955-1966). Mark likens this experience to embodying a character from H.G. Wells Time Machine where he gets to wind back the clock to listen to congregations of composers, musicians, physicists, architects and inventors during an age devoid of digital technology.
Triptych for Double Bass and Electronics – Disturbances I, Verticalities II, Repulsion III
Commissioned by Art Zoyd Studios France to be featured as part of their Youtube Christmas Market in 2022 as an audio visual work Triptych is the studio recorded sound version. The sounds of the double bass are woven into the physical gesture of movement and embellished with layered effects to create blankets of dense textures. Mark composed this work initially as three movement concerto and replaced the standard orchestral/piano accompaniment with Visual Artist, Jody Graham’s, live digital drawing projection. The video was created and edited by photographer Graeme Wienand.
In Friendship for Double Bass 2010 – Karlheinz Stockhausen
In 2010 Mark was funded to travel to Kurten Germany to attend the Karlheinz Stockhausen Courses and Masterclasses to learn from Stockhausen’s personal interpreters of his music and to gather knowledge about how to interpret his music. A phrase that implanted itself in his mind was to perform his music without ego.
In Friendship was arranged for Double Bass the same year. Mark then spent the past 13 years absorbing the technical challenges for the double bass. As an Interpreter, he has gone to considerable lengths to articulate the time movement as accurately as possible to restrain the temptation of exerting ego.
Electronic Symphony 1964-66 – Boguslaw Schaeffer
The first movement of Polish composer Boguslaw Schaeffer’s Electronic Symphony is a graphic score with concise explanatory technical instructions. It is interpreted here using the double bass to substitute the far left column, pitch clusters have been arduously constructed using a Bruel and Kjaer Beat Frequency Oscillator, one sine wave at a time. The surrounding clusters and sounds have been constructed from selected noises and effects.
Motor Bow – Improvisation
The motorised bow is a device introduced to Mark by French composer Kasper Toeplitz. This mechanical device was made by French Unusual Instrumental Craftsmen Léo Maurel.
Zip Bow – Improvisation
Mark’s collaboration with Visual Artist Jody Graham has spurred on numerous deep dives into questioning sonic possibilities resulting in thwarting the conventions of the bow.
An encounter with the zip on his back pack with the premise of a new music gave rise to the Zip Bow.
Tape Piece for Double Bass, Noises and Electronics
Magnetic tape and the tape machine as a musical instrument are used to compose this work. The sound sources were recorded to tape and cut into lengths from extremely small fragments to long strips and then composed back together. Tape piece was first performed in Melbourne’s New Music Classic’s series on a Nagra IV-S through a loud speaker system on 15/4/2021 with a digital video synthesizer visualisation.
Artwork
The drawings accompanying this release were created by Visual Artist Jody Graham to sounds created by Mark Cauvin for their collaborative project Sound Drawing. These Drawings appear courtesy of Jody’s generosity.
Mastered by Damian Press in 2023 at Neon Nursery in Berlin, Germany.
released March 15, 2023
