Peter Ablinger – An den Mond

1. Augmented Study (24:00)

    for 7 violins (2012)

2. An den Mond (24:05)

    for 1-31 chanting violinists (2021)
   magic spells for a healthier life, an “al fresco-composition” with Biliana Voutchkova

· Biliana Voutchkova: violin, voice

Composed by Peter Ablinger
Performed by Biliana Voutchkova
Track 1 recorded by Peter Ablinger at Vivaldisaal in Berlin in April 2014
Track 2 recorded by Peter Ablinger in his studio in Berlin in April 2021
Edited, mixed and mastered by Peter Ablinger
Cover artwork by Lena Czerniawska, using an original image by Cristina Marx
Texts by Peter Ablinger & Biliana Voutchkova
Photos by Peter Ablinger (Sag’s dem esel, 2021) & Siegrid Ablinger (Super moon, 2021)
Graphic design by László Szakács
Produced by László Juhász
Special thanks for the Electronic Studio of the Akademie der Künste Berlin who gave technical support for the production

The composition “An den Mond / To the Moon” consists of 16 short items, magic spells, for voice and violin, most of them layered (up to 31 layers; and in item 9 also an old zither plays a role).

Peter Ablinger

It was winter in Berlin, in the midst of the dark days of the Covid pandemic, a period of intense lockdown. Globally, we were learning how to adapt, to remain flexible, how to preserve our health and spirits. Laszlo and I were in touch regarding something unrelated to this release when he mentioned Peter Ablinger. He knew that we had worked together on multiple occasions, and asked me “…by any chance, do you have anything recorded from the time you were playing the music of Peter Ablinger? I would be extremely interested…” Such perfect timing, as Peter and I had been considering a new collaboration, the creation of a solo piece, this time for violin and voice. I visited him in his studio and, quite naturally, we confirmed our mutual interest to start the work and plan the recording of the new composition in April. We reserved the entire month for us, and Peter prepared this amazing self-made recording booth where, without my knowing it, I was going to be playing and chanting magic spells. By the end of March, the microphones and accompanying equipment were in place and we looked forward to beginning the process. Just a few days before our first meeting, I fell ill. Being conscious of avoiding contact was a must, so sadly, I had to postpone our beginning. Covid thoughts were in the air, and although I wasn’t diagnosed with the virus, it was clear we’d have to wait. Soon after, my son contracted the disease, fortunately, in a light form. Two weeks passed slowly by, half of our designated working time. It was an insular period of care, reflection, acceptance, of longing to reach the other side. And finally, with the illness behind, we began the long awaited process of creation. Peter surprised me with the idea of chanting his realtime, improvised, magic spells. Each day on arrival, he would write them on small scraps of paper. We’d exchange ideas and suggestions, prior to my peacefully playing and chanting for hours in the recording booth. This sequence of short pieces was completed on the day of the so-called “super moon” and, as it has been from the very beginning, clearly we were in symbiosis with a form of intuited universal order. The name of the completed piece, suggested by Peter, came easily to him. I had nothing more to add but smile and embrace “An den Mond” – magic spells for a healthier life.

Biliana Voutchkova

I. eins und

eins und
zwei und
drei und
brei mund
zwei und
drei und
vier und
gier hund
drei und
vier und
fünf und
nymph rund
vier und
fünf und
sechs und
hex’ kund
fünf und
sechs und
sieb’n und
rieb’n wund
sechs und
sieb’n und
acht und
lacht bunt
sieb’n und
acht und
neun und
bläu’n stund
acht und
neun und
zehn und
geh-sund

II. spuck es

spuck es in die hände spuck und flieh
nüchtern wird der speichel nicht besiegt
sag das dreimal speichel der gewinnt
spuck auf sohlen bis es fest gerinnt

III. schreib’s auf

schreib’s auf
schreib’s auf
schreib’s auf papier
schreib’s immer wieder
wieder immer wieder
dann nimm den
dann nimm den letzten
nimm den letzten weg
den letzten buchstaben
stab um stab
zeile um zeile
bis nichts mehr
nichts mehr bleibt
nichts bleibt
nichts bleibt immer
immer bleibt nichts
bind das blatt
fest das blatt
blatt am hals
fest am hals
mit dem faden
bind das blatt
am hals fest
mit dem faden
mit dem leinen
leinenfaden

IV. nicht wolf nicht reh

nicht wolf nicht reh
steh auf und geh

V. von schicht zu nicht

von schicht zu nicht

VI. von welt zu welt

von welt zu welt
von jetzt zu jetzt
von ist zu bist

VII. von wurm zu sturm

von wurm zu sturm
von schuss zu stoss
von loch zu loch
von wort zu wort
von mund zu mond
von aus zu aus

VIII. von hund zu hund

von hund zu hund
von tau zu tau
von öl zu bauch
von stund zu stund

IX. an einem tag

an einem tag
jetzt ist der tag
zu guter stund
jetzt ist die stund
spuck einem frosch
in seinen mund
guter tag
gute stund

X. mit dem mond

wolf nicht noch wurm
windet im sturm
geht mit dem mond
schwindet mit ihm

XI. für wen

für wen für wessen stund
für wen für wessen mund
für was für wessen chor
für was für wessen ohr

XII. bist heute geboren

bist heute geboren
dich früher erfanden
dich früher geboren
bist heute entstanden

XIII. sag’s dem esel

sag’s dem esel
dem esel ins ohr

XIV. am bach

bauch am ende
ente am bauch
ende am bach
bach lach!

XV. zuviel

lauf und nimm mit was zuviel

XVI. und tschüss

schnell schnell
jetzt jetzt
kein schiss
und tschüss

Released: September 2021 / first edition of 300 cds & 60 hand-numbered and signed (by Peter Ablinger and Biliana Voutchkova) lps
Direct purchase: Bandcamp / Discogs

GALLERY ↓

REVIEWS ↓

“Un tema caro al compositore Peter Ablinger è la ridondanza del suono. L’austriaco l’ha affrontato in studi specifici, i cosiddetti Augmented Study, cercando di fissare un dettaglio di lettura nuovo della musica. Sondare gli effetti acustici di una stratificazione progressiva degli strumenti o di una rete pixelizzata di suoni con software o algoritmi, sono azioni che possono dare significativi contributi in termini di densità e complessità dell’esperienza sonora; Ablinger avverte che ‘…la duplicazione (dell’identità, dell’impulso, del singolo tono, dell’individuo, del lavoro) avviene a tutti i livelli e rimane allo stesso tempo elementare…’: è una circostanza che ricorre anche nell’Augmented Study – for 7 violins che riempie An den Mond, un cd per l’etichetta slovena Inexhaustible Editions, in cui una stratificazione in glissando viene compiuta su un canone che gira su un’ottava, con 24 minuti registrati benissimo, che ci proiettano in un’affascinante realtà sonora circolare in movimento.

La duplicazione resta visibile anche nella composizione An den Mond/To the Moon, 16 pezzi brevi per voce e violino con stratificazioni successive, che sono nati nel periodo del covid tramite una corrispondenza del compositore con la violinista Biliana Voutchkova e il produttore László Juhász: Ablinger li ha chiamati magici incantesimi, una manna dal cielo giunta nel momento giusto per produrre un cambiamento più salubre del mondo. Sono sovrapposizioni studiate per intromettersi tra canto e note di violino, con amplitudine dei materiali sonori e un trattamento elettronico inconsueto che privilegia la tensione suggerita dai racconti o dalla cinematografia, quell’indicazione verbale psicologicamente inquisitiva che abbiamo imparato a distinguere nelle opere; Ablinger spinge verso la volubilità delle soluzioni, qualcosa che ad un certo punto punta a trasformazioni plurime e non solo rette dalla voglia di costruire nuove densità strutturali della musica (dopo più della metà dei 24 minuti del brano compare persino uno zither che svolge funzione a supporto dell’investitura psicologica).” / Ettore Garzia, Percorsi Musicali, 31 October 2021

“An den Mond (To The Moon) is a recent release bringing together two compositions by Austrian composer Peter Ablinger. The first is for seven violins and is all about creating a feeling of searing/pitch wavering intensity. And the second is for chanted female voices/violin, and creates a feeling of witchy dread and fear. Together these pieces create a compelling, at points unsettling release, which uses two different tacks to unbalance the listener.

The release appears on Slovenia-based Inexhaustible Editions, and is available as a CD, limited vinyl in four gatefold sleeve, and digital version – I’m reviewing the initial format. The CD comes presented in a four-panel monochrome digipak, on its inside we find a handwritten score, a write-up about the compositions from Ablinger, and a write-up from Belin based violinist Biliana Voutchkova who performed both pieces here. We also get full texts for the second track too. So, a nicely presented and informative bit of packaging. At the time of writing both physical editions are still available, though the vinyl is only limited to sixty copies.

So first up we have Augmented Study – for 7 violins, which was composed in 2012. The track runs at dead on the twenty-four minutes mark, and is all about building and intensifying tension. The overlapping layers of violin are centred around a close set of seemingly climbing pitches. These create this feeling of constant acceleration/rising searing, and at any moment one feels the pitch will even disappear off from human hearing level, or maybe your ears will pop from the rising sonic pressure. This feeling of rising and building tense is amazingly maintained throughout the track, and I must say it’s quite an experience, it would certainly be amazing to hear this piece on huge pro speakers.

Next and finally, we have An den Mond – for 1-31 chanting violinists magic spells for a healthier life, this is from this year, and rolls in four seconds over the twenty-four-minute mark. And this as its title suggests is a piece all about layered and chanted vocals, which are sometimes underfed by a droning-to-sawing violin. We begin with a fairly set and disciplined series of chants, but as the track goes on it becomes more episodic, as we shift from whispers and waving sting dwells. On to blends of vocalising and hisses with a more sawing backdrop, through to layered and building chants underfed by buzzing ‘n’ hover string tone, onto simmering cascading picks topped with spiting-to-hissing summoning’s. It’s a wonderful eventful track, and at points, it does get damn intense and terrifying.

An den Mond is a great example of sonic unbalancing and audio unease in modern classical form, with both pieces having their standalone worth, but together they make for a most compelling and affecting release. To find out more, and pick up a copy for yourself head to here.” / Roger Batty, Musique Machine, 16 November 2021

“Magija, zaklinjanje, nas vedno vpenja v svet, v soodnos z njim, v njegovo razbiranje, pronicanje v pore skrivnostnega. V ta prostor je skozi sodobno senzibiliteto današnjega aktualnega trenutka vstopil znani avstrijski radikalni skladatelj Peter Ablinger s svojim ciklom za glas in violino oziroma za eno do 31 violin in glasov, napisanih za znano bolgarsko violinistko Biliano Voutchkovo. An den Mond je imenitna plošča, izdana pri ljubljanski založbi Inexhaustible Edition. Na njej Voutchkova skozi slojenje, improvizirane napeve in igranje utelesi zven in glas skozi zaklinjanje 16 malih urokov, ki jih je napisal Ablinger, malih zdravilnih urokov, ki se v šestnajstih delih skladbe gostijo, zvensko spreminjajo. Skladba spada v cikel t. i. ‘al fresco’ skladb, skladb, ki ne temeljijo na notnem zapisu in nastajajo v sami interakciji, v trenutku. Spustite se v čarobnost sodobnega zaklinjanja.” / Luka T. Zagoričnik, Radio Študent, 16 June 2022

RADIO PLAYS ↓

· Godbeni Imperializem at Radio Študent, Ljubljana, 16 June 2022