the song: Saadi
In 1997, "The Rosary", the famous work of the thirteenth century Persian poet Saadi, was published in a Dutch translation of the professor JTP de Bruijn of the University of Leiden. I was fascinated and often touched by the direct way of writing, and the outlook on life that the medieval poet articulates. Essential experiences of human life have remained unchanged over the centuries. Out of some of its verses I made this text.
I played at that time with the oppositions man-machine; organic and electronic, the singer-songwriter with his acoustic guitar, with electronic accompaniment. A 'format' that invited me to bring my music back to the most basic elements. I wanted the electronics to sound real electronical, and not try to approach the sound of real instruments. I made use of programming to design my own sounds and played with random patterns and structures within the composition. I banned all use of spatial soundeffects, everything had to sound as direct as possible and had to be done in the most direct manner. With as little dubbing as possible. All unnecessary repetition in the composition I eliminated from my writing.
In this song I wanted to make a connection to the European folk music, rooted as it is in the music and poetry of the medieval bard or minstrel. At that time I listened a lot to these genres: contemporary reconstructions of medieval compositions, including work by Het Kliekske.
Now that I hear this song again out of my archives I find it surprising how strongly the bare sequencer tones in the perception 'sounds' like a bagpipe-like instrument.
I played at that time with the oppositions man-machine; organic and electronic, the singer-songwriter with his acoustic guitar, with electronic accompaniment. A 'format' that invited me to bring my music back to the most basic elements. I wanted the electronics to sound real electronical, and not try to approach the sound of real instruments. I made use of programming to design my own sounds and played with random patterns and structures within the composition. I banned all use of spatial soundeffects, everything had to sound as direct as possible and had to be done in the most direct manner. With as little dubbing as possible. All unnecessary repetition in the composition I eliminated from my writing.
In this song I wanted to make a connection to the European folk music, rooted as it is in the music and poetry of the medieval bard or minstrel. At that time I listened a lot to these genres: contemporary reconstructions of medieval compositions, including work by Het Kliekske.
Now that I hear this song again out of my archives I find it surprising how strongly the bare sequencer tones in the perception 'sounds' like a bagpipe-like instrument.