Johan Svensson: double dubbing (firefly song)

Beschreibung / Description:

‘double dubbing (firefly song)'[1] is a composition for three agents: a clarinetist, an accordionist and a custom-made device with 16 piezo buzzers[2] attached with long wires. The buzzers are spread out in the dark space with small blinking LED lights connected to them.

The composition is an exploration of situations where certain aspects of the behaviour of an agent are instantly imitated by the other ones.

The piece is commissioned by and dedicated to Heather Roche and Eva Zöllner.

[1]: Dubbing (…) is a post-production process used in filmmaking and video production in which additional or supplementary recordings are “mixed” with original production sound to create the finished soundtrack.” (Wikipedia)

[2]: A piezo buzzer is a small speaker element with a built in oscillator. When it is switched on it gives a pitch, normally a loud one. This small component is typically used in timers, to confirm user input (e.g. cash register or keystroke) or to signal some kind of warning (e.g. fire alarm or closing door on a subway car). A piezo buzzer is made to do one thing, to make a loud sound (one pitch only) when asked for. But if it is treated gently it can show you a hidden, colorful pallet of sounds.

Biografie / Biography:

Johan Svensson is a Swedish composer who is active both within the acoustic and the electronic music. With an equally artistic and technical input into his composition work, he explores alternative ways of producing sounds by electronic means. His current focus is to design sound- generating electromechanical devices as well as explore different relationships between musician and machine that may arise in a live situation. Several of his works have a clear conceptual starting point and are written for a combination of instrumentalists and electronic sound sources. In addition, visual elements, such as lights and coordinated movements, are material often found in his music. Svensson is Artistic director and a founding member of the ensemble Mimitabu (http://mimitabu.se) and Artistic director of the Kalv festival (http://kalvfestival.se).

2017 Johan Svensson was awarded the price Progetto Positano from Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung and ensemble mosaik. https://progettopositano.org/

Svensson developed the website http://pianoharmonics.com in collaboration with the pianist Jonas Olsson and the composer Martin Rane Bauck.

Interpreten und Ort / Interprets and Location:

Heather Roche and Eva Zöllner – Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Darmstadt, August 4, 2021 Heather Roche and Eva Zöllner – Gaudeamus, Utrecht, September 9, 2021