Elainie Lillios - Undertow
Elainie Lillios - Undertow
Undertow’s build up is so fluidly natural that one does not recognize the crazy takeover by the live electronics until it is almost too late.
Undertow is a simply gorgeous work for bass clarinet and live electronics. Lillios creates a sound world which is dependent on the max patch while still feeling natural to the acoustic instrument. I think this occurs due to the patch material being reliant upon the performer’s input and the length of time it takes for the work to fully develop. The undulating resonance and feedback in the electronics contribute to Lillios’ exploration of multiphonics which fit well on the instrument. The slow-moving pool of sound is gradually broken by the introduction of short, low slaps, which are then bounced around in the electronics like a pebble thrown into a still lake (listen to the full performance here).
Undertow’s build up is so fluidly natural that one does not recognize the crazy takeover by the live electronics until it is almost too late, and in the same way the music dies to practically nothing, literally marked ‘dissipating’ by Lillios. One last importance notice of the work is how beautiful the score physically looks. Despite the elements of heavy improvisation and unpredictable electronic elements, Lillios’ score is easy to follow, and actually makes listening to Derek Emch’s interpretation more fun.
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