Madrigals For 5 Guitars Carlo Gesualdo
Adam Levy : Soprano 1, (Electric Guitar, U.S.A.).
Doug Wamble : Soprano 2, (Electric Guitar, U.S.A.).
Noël Akchoté : Alto, (Musical Direction, Electric Guitar, France).
David Grubbs : Tenor, (Electric Guitar, U.S.A.).
Julien Desprez : Bass, (Electric Guitar, France).
“Do not deprive me of your pain, since so softly she makes me live and die”
Performance and Notes To «Gesualdo : Madrigals For Five Guitars».
... I was seventeen when I first heard of Carlo Gesualdo, Prince da Venosa (1556- 1613), soon discovering the 1965's Quintetto Vocale Italiano complete madrigals recordings. And since, this music never really left me at peace.
- (B) Interpretation, (#2) Notation, Fingerings, Tabs: - I deliberately transcribed and arranged every madrigal in the most organic way for the guitar. Using always the closest to open strings possible neck position (most charts are contained between 5th fret and open strings, or from 0 to 5, with only a few exceptions not exceeding the 7th fret). All dynamics, accents and other expressive notations are left blank as well as all accidents were removed from the key (preferring to remind each as they come through the score, sharp, flat or natural). The reason for it is that I would like we approach this music without any preconceived ideas nor restricted dynamics. I expect this music to guide us and help us find our own interpretation of it.
- (B – Interpretation): ... His Chromaticism
clashes more with the use of pretty traditional forms (almost retrograde
for his times). An hyper intimate diary more than any methodical
statement. A single voice, his own. Anyway, few years ago it came to
term, I had to record his madrigals and all I had was a guitar, so I did
it, voice per voice, book after book. There was a very
confusing coherence here too, the guitar seemed as natural, appropriate,
as plausible as the original five vocal parts. The journey had
started, I couldn't stop to play and record this music. It felt so
close, flowing through you peacefully, sometime consonant other times
very tensed, but always extremely bare and human - “At any rate, he had
a single-minded devotion to music from an early age, and showed little
interest in anything else. In addition to the lute, he also played the
harpsichord and guitar.”
- (#1) Tuning: We should all use a Lowered Standard D Tuning (Practically the standard EADGBE tuning goes down a whole step becoming DGCFAD in Concert Pitch. Once we all did that, we should forget about it and continue reading Tabs or Standard Notation Untransposed, meaning that all notes remains on your neck in the same position as if we were all using a Standard E Tuning. The Lowered Standard D Tuning allows a longer sustain (often needed for long notes inside the scores), more resonance as well as a more “Dramatic” tone (I find) - (A - Technical Notes).
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About Noël Achkoté
The French guitarist-improvisor Noel Akchote is a frighteningly competent and active person. He has recorded a lot of music in various styles, he writes about music in the Austrian magazine Skug, he is the owner of a record label, he produces many different groups and participates in various projects. Born in Paris, the 7th december 1968, he started guitar at the age of 8. Soon meeting and studying with artists such as Tal Farlow, Barney Wilen, Chet Baker, Philip Catherine, John Abercrombie. During the early 90's, he started to explore beyond jazz, also playing more experimental and improvised musics. He played in the groups of Henri Texier, Louis Sclavis, Daniel Humair, Jacques Thollot, Sam Rivers as well as with Derek Bailey, Eugene Chadbourne, Marc Ribot, Fred Frith, Evan Parker, Lol Coxhill, Tim Berne or George Lewis. He collaborated since with David Grubbs, Luc Ferrari, David Sylvian, Jim G. Thirlwell (Steroïd Maximus), Max Nagl's Big Four (Steven Bernstein, Bradley Jones, Joey Baron), Jean-François Pauvros or Dylan Carlson's Earth. Other projects have seen him recording and playing with The Recyclers, Blixa Bargeld, Aki Onda, Phil Minton, Tony Hymas, Katerine, Tetuzi Akiyama, Otomo Yoshihide, Julie Tippets, Mike Cooper, Wolfgang Puschnig, Linda Sharrock, Tom Cora, Keith Rowe, Christian Fennesz, Nobuyoshi Araki or Daido Moriyama. In 1996 he co founded with Quentin Rollet, the mostly Vinyl label Rectangle (all reissued as downloads in 2011).
During the same period, he produced for the Münich based label Winter and Winter a series of « Audio Films » revisiting a wide range of Chansons and Cabaret traditions (Au Bordel, Cabaret Modern, Toi-Même... featuring Red, Jean-Louis Costes, Han Bennink, Steve Beresford, Sasha Andrès, John Giorno or Kevin Blechdom), as well as unique re- readings of the music of Sonny Sharrock (Sonny II) and Kylie Minogue (So Lucky). He is also featured in various movies as an actor, soundtrack composer or musical director (with Thierry Jousse, Michael Lonsdale, Claire Denis, Lio ...). He also happens to be the older brother of the electro artist SebastiAn (Ed Banger, Daft Punk). In 2011, he signed an exclusive distribution contract with Believe Digital (Worldwide Downloads), issueing since over 100 rare live tracks and previously unreleased studio albums, from which a wide Renaissance and Baroque section raised (Carlo Gesualdo, Guillaume de Machaut, Claudio Monteverdi, Luys Milan, Robert de Visée).
Music from the Albums:
Gesualdo's Integral Madrigals For Five Voices (Libro 1-6, For Guitar) – Second Edition (Noël Akchoté Downloads – CGIM-2, 125 × File, MP3, Compilation, 256 kbps , 6 x Discs)
& Les Ballades (Machaut's Complete Ballads, For Guitar) (Noël Akchoté Downloads – GM2-C, 42 × File, MP3, Album, 256 kbps)
(Live in Banlieues Bleues Festival, Saint-Ouen, 05.04.2013)
Adam Levy: Electric Guitar (Soprano 1)
Doug Wamble: Electric Guitar (Soprano 2)
Noël Akchoté: Electric Guitar (Alto)
David Grubbs: Electric Guitar (Tenor)
Julien Dezprez: Electric Guitar (Bass)
Recorded by Christophe Albertijn
Adam Levy : Soprano 1, (Electric Guitar, U.S.A.).
Doug Wamble : Soprano 2, (Electric Guitar, U.S.A.).
Noël Akchoté : Alto, (Musical Direction, Electric Guitar, France).
David Grubbs : Tenor, (Electric Guitar, U.S.A.).
Julien Desprez : Bass, (Electric Guitar, France).
“Do not deprive me of your pain, since so softly she makes me live and die”
Carlo Gesualdo (O dolorosa gioia, Libro V-5).
Performance and Notes To «Gesualdo : Madrigals For Five Guitars».
... I was seventeen when I first heard of Carlo Gesualdo, Prince da Venosa (1556- 1613), soon discovering the 1965's Quintetto Vocale Italiano complete madrigals recordings. And since, this music never really left me at peace.
- (#7) Sound:
The principle here is that the five original voices remains voices,
but are played by guitars (guitarists voices). Its means also that more
than factual functions as indicated (and left on these transcriptions
as Tenor, Alto, Soprano, etc), the voice is you here. Your own sound,
playing, being and presence. As I said above, there is one element of
experience here (more than experiments) and this is about how this music
will play you in return. The only thing I would like to underline here
is that I guess it is a pretty bare experience, to the bone of it all.
This would be my main advise or direction about Sound here, let it
come close to the core, never try to dress it, let it fall and take
you, close to nothing sometime, it will give you a lot back I think. It
may undercover, undress, open, eventually reveal too.
- (#2) Notation, Fingerings & Tabs: I deliberately
transcribed and arranged every madrigal in the most organic way for the
guitar. Using always the closest to open strings possible neck
position (most charts are contained between 5th fret and open strings,
or from 0 to 5, with only a few exceptions not exceeding the 7th fret).
All dynamics, accents and other expressive notations are left blank as
well as all accidents were removed from the key (preferring to remind
each as they come through the score, sharp, flat or natural). The
reason for it is that I would like we approach this music without any
preconceived ideas nor restricted dynamics. I expect this music to guide us and help us find our own interpretation of it.
- (B) Interpretation, (#2) Notation, Fingerings, Tabs: - I deliberately transcribed and arranged every madrigal in the most organic way for the guitar. Using always the closest to open strings possible neck position (most charts are contained between 5th fret and open strings, or from 0 to 5, with only a few exceptions not exceeding the 7th fret). All dynamics, accents and other expressive notations are left blank as well as all accidents were removed from the key (preferring to remind each as they come through the score, sharp, flat or natural). The reason for it is that I would like we approach this music without any preconceived ideas nor restricted dynamics. I expect this music to guide us and help us find our own interpretation of it.
Distribution & Text.
- (#4) – Long Notes Rests: Few times in the scores you will face pretty extreme durations, or Long Notes (for example a series of whole notes tied up to three of four times). Of course no one will be able to sustain such lengths without the help of an artificial effect (which we don't want here). In such cases, always try to keep your finger in position on the given note (fret) for the whole duration, and this even if the sound starts to fade out half-way through or even before. Stay on the note and let it ring in your head the whole written length, whatever happens physically and sonically - Rests : try to apply the same approach described above for Long Notes to all Rests as well. In these transcriptions, Rests are a musical element. Consider them equally as sound (though mute in action). Try to hear them.
- (#4) – Long Notes Rests: Few times in the scores you will face pretty extreme durations, or Long Notes (for example a series of whole notes tied up to three of four times). Of course no one will be able to sustain such lengths without the help of an artificial effect (which we don't want here). In such cases, always try to keep your finger in position on the given note (fret) for the whole duration, and this even if the sound starts to fade out half-way through or even before. Stay on the note and let it ring in your head the whole written length, whatever happens physically and sonically - Rests : try to apply the same approach described above for Long Notes to all Rests as well. In these transcriptions, Rests are a musical element. Consider them equally as sound (though mute in action). Try to hear them.
- (#1) Biographical Note: ... Now the character commonly made
out of Prince Carlo Gesualdo (and still often confused for) is more of a
puppet or a myth, that can well stand next to the ones made of Marquis
de Sade, Casanova or Dracula... reading and studying them will shortly
show you how radical the misunderstandings are...Anyway. Yes he was
very probably suffering an increasing psychosis that climaxed in the
end. But Psychosis does not produce any art in real, therefore I don't
see any link to be made with this music, or any particular angle of
reading to it. This music is like an intimate diary, it shows the life
of someone who was taken by music and had like maybe all of us ups and
downs, tensions and relieves. To me he was fully aware and conscious of
what he did, that's what he meant and I take his word, his own voice
in the text on it. Rejecting de facto the Goth-Gore Folklore glued on
since.
- (#5) Resonance: Playing in the lowest
neck position, using many open strings and a Lowered D tuning will
naturally increase Resonance (or sympathetic vibration: an harmonic
phenomenon wherein a formerly passive string or vibratory body responds
to external vibrations to which it has a harmonic likeness.). Please
keep it and let it happen each time it naturally comes, don't try to
stop or control it unless obviously too dissonant. Particularly when
this phenomenon happens at the end of a played note and continues over a
rest, let it ring and sustain until the next note on your chart.
Generally, use all natural acoustic feedbacks and avoid or control the
electric ones.
- (#1) Tuning: We should all use a Lowered Standard D Tuning (Practically the standard EADGBE tuning goes down a whole step becoming DGCFAD in Concert Pitch. Once we all did that, we should forget about it and continue reading Tabs or Standard Notation Untransposed, meaning that all notes remains on your neck in the same position as if we were all using a Standard E Tuning. The Lowered Standard D Tuning allows a longer sustain (often needed for long notes inside the scores), more resonance as well as a more “Dramatic” tone (I find) - (A - Technical Notes).
- (#6) Tempi & Conducting: All Tempi
are still indicative for now. Generally you could divide them in two
main categories, the slower ones and the medium ones. This music holds
and generates a unique alchemy, some chords really provoke a physical
effect that is hard to explain but very effective. Like above ground, or
a living question mark... In such moments, mostly in slow tempi, one
could almost start to consider such chords as “pure” sound, close to
timeless though measured. The more medium ones are often more phrased,
more rhetoric and slightly more “fingery” (still spare). Let's see -
...Today these five voices needs to be impersonated “further”. Five
unique individualities, almost five styles and as many worlds.
The guitar has real chance compared to other instruments, it never could really draw an orthodoxy. Its a rudimentary instrument, tied strings on a slice of wood. Its also a popular instrument, one anybody can pick-up and start. Here it allows us even more to let this music happen, play and ascend. The transcriptions and arrangements I produced (in both standard notation and tablature), are an attempt to reach the core of Gesualdo's music, beyond actual standards and common interpretations since. In fact I have no claim to any legacy, truth or certainty. I only want to share, almost instinctively. I deliberately transcribed each vocal part for guitar in the most organic possible way on the instrument. Meaning a lot of open strings and basic positions (most of it stands below the 5th fret on the guitar). Doing so, each part becomes again a voice. Because it creates a new field for each player, where sounds and fingers can open, where one can let himself be played in return. The text holds us all, allowing multiplicities and differences to speak in polyphony. Also I see no paradox to ask improvisors to share such an experience, expanding the moment from inside rather than through variations. All very natural. What else should I say? It's time to hear it now (A-Introduction).
Noël Akchoté
2013 will be Carlo Gesualdo's 400th Death Anniversary, (1613-2013).
About Noël Achkoté
“...and I'm beginning to see the light”
Duke Ellington
The French guitarist-improvisor Noel Akchote is a frighteningly competent and active person. He has recorded a lot of music in various styles, he writes about music in the Austrian magazine Skug, he is the owner of a record label, he produces many different groups and participates in various projects. Born in Paris, the 7th december 1968, he started guitar at the age of 8. Soon meeting and studying with artists such as Tal Farlow, Barney Wilen, Chet Baker, Philip Catherine, John Abercrombie. During the early 90's, he started to explore beyond jazz, also playing more experimental and improvised musics. He played in the groups of Henri Texier, Louis Sclavis, Daniel Humair, Jacques Thollot, Sam Rivers as well as with Derek Bailey, Eugene Chadbourne, Marc Ribot, Fred Frith, Evan Parker, Lol Coxhill, Tim Berne or George Lewis. He collaborated since with David Grubbs, Luc Ferrari, David Sylvian, Jim G. Thirlwell (Steroïd Maximus), Max Nagl's Big Four (Steven Bernstein, Bradley Jones, Joey Baron), Jean-François Pauvros or Dylan Carlson's Earth. Other projects have seen him recording and playing with The Recyclers, Blixa Bargeld, Aki Onda, Phil Minton, Tony Hymas, Katerine, Tetuzi Akiyama, Otomo Yoshihide, Julie Tippets, Mike Cooper, Wolfgang Puschnig, Linda Sharrock, Tom Cora, Keith Rowe, Christian Fennesz, Nobuyoshi Araki or Daido Moriyama. In 1996 he co founded with Quentin Rollet, the mostly Vinyl label Rectangle (all reissued as downloads in 2011).
During the same period, he produced for the Münich based label Winter and Winter a series of « Audio Films » revisiting a wide range of Chansons and Cabaret traditions (Au Bordel, Cabaret Modern, Toi-Même... featuring Red, Jean-Louis Costes, Han Bennink, Steve Beresford, Sasha Andrès, John Giorno or Kevin Blechdom), as well as unique re- readings of the music of Sonny Sharrock (Sonny II) and Kylie Minogue (So Lucky). He is also featured in various movies as an actor, soundtrack composer or musical director (with Thierry Jousse, Michael Lonsdale, Claire Denis, Lio ...). He also happens to be the older brother of the electro artist SebastiAn (Ed Banger, Daft Punk). In 2011, he signed an exclusive distribution contract with Believe Digital (Worldwide Downloads), issueing since over 100 rare live tracks and previously unreleased studio albums, from which a wide Renaissance and Baroque section raised (Carlo Gesualdo, Guillaume de Machaut, Claudio Monteverdi, Luys Milan, Robert de Visée).
Music
Gesualdo's Integral Madrigals For Five Voices (Libro 1-6, For Guitar) – Second Edition (Noël Akchoté Downloads – CGIM-2, 125 × File, MP3, Compilation, 256 kbps , 6 x Discs)
& Les Ballades (Machaut's Complete Ballads, For Guitar) (Noël Akchoté Downloads – GM2-C, 42 × File, MP3, Album, 256 kbps)
(Live in Banlieues Bleues Festival, Saint-Ouen, 05.04.2013)
Adam Levy: Electric Guitar (Soprano 1)
Doug Wamble: Electric Guitar (Soprano 2)
Noël Akchoté: Electric Guitar (Alto)
David Grubbs: Electric Guitar (Tenor)
Julien Dezprez: Electric Guitar (Bass)
Recorded by Christophe Albertijn
source
http://www.madrigalsfor5guitars.com
http://www.noelakchote.org/
http://www.believeband.com/labels/24019,noel-akchote.html?lang=fr
Copyright Controlled: © Noël Akchoté Downloads 2013