Verzonken
composition for alt sax solo, reed quintet, samples, video
duration: ± 10 minutes
composed and directed by Arnoud Noordegraaf
written for Raaf Hekkema & Calefax
part of the 'Moving Music' concert, with film and scenography by Arnoud Noordegraaf
film producer: Joggem Simons for Inexcelsisvideo
set design: Erik van Raalte
premiere: 25 May 2011, Muziekgebouw Amsterdam.
"staged in a remarkably tasteful, tightly directed way"
VPRO liveblog
Verzonken (‘plunged’) is a composition for alto saxophone solo and four reed players: oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet and bassoon. It was written as part of Arnoud’s composer in residence with the Calefax reed quintet in 2010 and 2011.
The work is part of the ‘Moving Music’ concert program with new films and scenography by Arnoud, using five vertical and movable video screens to make different visual configurations on the stage for every piece in the concert.
In Verzonken four of the screens form a group, and one sits alone on the other side of the stage, separating the soloist from the other players. The soloist, Raaf Hekkema, is literally plunged into deep waters in the accompanying film scenes, where he is constantly searching for air, without ever being able to breathe.
“A central theme in Verzonken is the prolongation of breath; musically I play with the technique of circular breathing, where a reed player can keep playing a note or melody without stopping for breath. The film complements this, with Raaf in a dream like world, trapped under water, slowly becoming aware of the real life world and his colleague musicians playing on stage.”
A short montage of some of the film scenes below:
Filming with Raaf (who initially had a fear of water) and assisting diver Luuk Vierhout, four meters deep under water at the Leeghwaterbad swimming pool in Purmerend.
Other Moving Music setups:
