Vocalis e

Vocalis_e clip

Featuring newEar.

Initial inspiration for this piece was drawn from the observation of a toddler learning to speak, where sound, specifically imitation, occurs before meaning is attached to translation.

Timbre is the most important aspect in Vocalis_e.  The ensemble is broken down into three primary timbres that are referred to as: “breath,” “bow” and “bang.”  These timbres are intended to amorphously mimic the vowel sounds produced by the vocalist.  In-between the three primary timbres, there are more vacillating colors, including a transition from “breath” to “bow,” a transition from “bow” to “bang,” and finally, the strangest blend, from “bang” back to “breath.”

The title, Vocalis e is based on both the structure and inspiration for the piece.  Vocalis is the Latin word for “uttering voice.” The lone “e” should be pronounced as the vowel sound [i], such as in the word be (English) or oui (French).

Duration: 7 minutes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *