IIs there a beginning? Or is there an end? Did Christoph Schmid really invent the lyrics for Ihr Kinderlein Kommet, back in 1794, or was he simply the one to write down verses already in the air? Did my daughter Sonja deliberately try to sing moving around the notes of that song a few days before xmas 2001, or was she just fooling around? Is it a sign of higher intelligence to release an (anti)xmas record on 7” vinyl once every year like the belgian label meeuw muzak does, or just a flirt with bad taste? Was it clever to supply them with an electronically treated version of Ihr Kinderlein Kommet for 2003´s yearly event? And was it a wise decision to extend this experiment in a different way, seen by many as more serious, and to invite other artists to join this experience?
without any question: what you hold in your hands is Domenico Sciajno´s i.Dk.Sk., an electroacoustic transformation (using a self programmed set of patches in MAX/MSP) of the rlw source material, and my mneme gelb, based on sound fragments from i.Dk.Sk., a recording of my myself sitting in the studio and working on the piece, plus some new transformations of sonja´s original take.
It´s not the beginning and not the end. but most often the more importants things are to be found in between.
rlw, april 2006
i.Dk.Sk. consists of 4 parts and a coda. Final realization November 2004.
i.k.k. – mneme gelb consists of 3 parts and a coda. Final realization March 2006.
ReViews:
This is another of Ralph Wehowsky's collaborative project based on recycling recorded material. In fact it's the "Christmas Carol" wheeze mentioned in Dan Warburton's interview with Wehowsky in The Wire 259. Gelbe Tupfen is a split album: Domenico Sciajno's "i.Dk.Sk." occupies the first half hour, followed by Wehowsky's own "Mneme Gelb", a 22 minute electroacustic suite.
Sciajno is a bassist and software wrangler originally from Turin, now based in Sicily. Deploying extreme high and low frequencies, he tunnels into electronic potholes, where there's often a doomed, sci-fi feeling - flickering malfunctions and buzzing wires indicate some apocalyptic power outage. We survey the grim scene before the light gives out altogether. It's a good listen because Sciajno knows how to seduce the ear, not clobbering the listener but welcoming us into his viscous, oozing soundscapes.
Wehowsky's music is more elusive and retiring. The first section is a long, leisurely downward glissando. Later we ear singing voices and mysterious textures that tend to fade away, but invite repeated listening. Both pieces are reworkings of a German Christmas song , sung by Wehowsky's daughter Sonja.
But nothing could be further from a Christmas single than this bracing, slightly scary release.
Clive Bell
The Wire 271 August 2006
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