"EDITION MODERN presents the leading
light in New MUSIC...
"A creator of radical music that breaks convention, riding on the edge
of the classical avant-garde,Iancu DUMITRESCU has the talent to lure
you in,mystify and startle with unnerving furiousity..." : AUDION
#29, Summer/Autumn 1994 ( Leicester, England ) * "For a number of years now I`ve MARVELLED over the sheer explosive energy
coming out of my speakers on pieces such as "Pierres Sacrees".
The sounds are Acoustic and are produced by some kind of unfathomable
"metallobjects" that seem to whirl around rapidly. If you are familiar with David
Tudor`s realizations of Cage`s "Variations IV" then you will have a small inkling of
what`s happening here. Some kind of amazing contact microphone setup, some kind of
drilling on these objects, and a HELL of a lot of recording expertise.
But MY GOD!! Never has it been this extreme.
And no "noise" artist has ever come up with this much of a mind-dissolving acid
bath in acoustics. Learn from the Master, or be doomed to second-rate stomp box
distortion forever!!
"Grand Ourse"is a mesmerizing and intimidating piece that feels so big I`m going
to have to leave any idiotic attempt at description aside. All I can really say is that it
employs some insect-like buzzing on tape over a drone ensemble that sounds like it`s
about 4 miles away. The other elements that make up this piece come in and out at
hypnotically paced intervals.
In a word - MONUMENTAL !!! (...)
Dumitrescu is most impressive when it comes to the art of RECORDING his ideas. No
composer has ever had a better ear for the recording process than Dumitrescu - Not
Stockhausen, Not Nono, Not Xenakis. Nobody. Not even Masami Akita!!
Dumitrescu`s music has a visceral , untidy force rare in classical music -
the textures of Xenakis pared of the latter`s Beethovenian ambition, made
more focused and linear. Works also features three compositions by
Ana-Maria AVRAM, born in Bucharest in 1961. Wonderful to hear music
where textural innovations aren`t employed to colour pre-existing structures,
but evolve form in process. On `Zodiaque` she plays prepared piano opposite
Dumitrescu a percussionist and magnetic tape.
Seems like these Romanians are engaged in a similar kind of sonic
research to that which resulted on the masterpieces of Giacinto Scelsi and
Ennio Morricone collective endeavour, genuine `deep listening`. The results are
similarly overpowering a milion miles from the tootling inconsecuence of most of
what passes for New Music in the classical world.`
Ben WATSON - The WIRE,issue 135,May 95 ( London )
* `A great CD!!!! 5 pieces; three new works by IANCU DUMITRESCU ( two for chamber
ensemble - with electronics - tracking sound to its furthest lairs, and one for Orchestra; two by
ANA-MARIA AVRAM, one for Orchestra ( `de Sacrae...` an indispensable classic ) and one for Tape.
Chris CUTLER - ReR RECOMMENDED - London |
