If contemporary artists sincerely seek to be original, unique, and new, they should begin by disregarding the notions of originality, individuality, and innovation: they are the cliches of our time.
—Octavio Paz
Sound as medium has an incredible elasticity. So, of course, it is tempting for artists of other fields to try something with sounds. Why not? We are living in the age when there is no limit in gathering all forms of art and music to mix it together if you so desire.
—Yoko Ono
I discovered that if one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath.
—David Lynch
...miramondo multiplo... (2006)
For solo trumpet and orchestra
Duration: 19:00
View Score (Free, with registration)
Depending on the idea Olga Neuwirth is trying to express, she will either create a piece of performance art, an installation, a photo exhibit, a screenplay, a complete short film, a soundtrack to a pre-existing silent film, an opera, or a work for orchestra with or without soloists. I probably missed a couple of others. Could it be that Olga Neuwirth teaches us that it's more important to decide which language and setting are more critical (or efficacious) for the expression of ideas than it is to try to cram an idea into a predetermined musical genre, instrumentation, or performance setting?
Another feature of Neuwirth's work is how she plays around with deciding to create a work from a blank slate or build upon another artist's creations. Neuwirth and I are close to the same age, so we both grew up with the first explosion of sample culture before copyright restrictions became a severe hindrance to artistic expression and a protection of intellectual property rights ad infinitum. When Neuwirth created The Outcast, a musical theater/orchestral oratorio hybrid based on the life and works of Herman Melville, she changed the sex of one of Melville's most beloved characters. By doing so, she was able to bring a new dimension to the struggles of the powerful with the powerless, creating modern relevance and a unique point of focus for today's audiences. The practically all-male Moby Dick is a classic story of obsession and self-destruction. When there are still Ahabs running many sectors of our society, placing a woman on board the ship in a critical role was a masterstroke and one that Melville would never have made.
Besides her fascination with Melville; a love of David Lynch; a desire to combine art with the natural sciences; an appreciation of Ice Cube and his cohorts; an interest in silent film and cinema in general; a diverse educational background in electronic music, spectralism, and acoustics; and a need to engage with specific political motivations; Neuwirth also began her musical life wanting to be a professional trumpet player - the “female Miles Davis” to be precise. A car accident altered those plans for her, and a more diverse artist was born. Neuwirth didn't write a trumpet concerto right away. I get it. When she did, she created a work for the Swedish trumpet master Håkan Hardenberger. ...miramondo multiplo... features temporal, technical, and textural virtuosity. Pay close attention to how Neuwirth expertly weaves Send in the Clowns, one of the first pieces she learned how to perform, into the second movement's melodic narrative.
On a personal note, I stopped playing professionally in 2005, and this concerto premiered in 2006. I no longer paid attention to the latest compositions for classical trumpet when I decided to stop practicing daily 15 years ago. The realization that there are 14 years worth of classical trumpet compositions out there waiting for me to listen to is a bit daunting.
I doubt that most of it will stand up to the caliber of ...miramondo multiplo...