Fade Control

On my music Whenever I am writing a work, I face the challenge of striking a balance between ‘the freedom’ and ‘the necessity’. The equilibrium between them should not be seen as a static and still element, but as something continuously moving. This point of poise is the living heart of my work. Rather than as a ‘physical’ place within the work, it can be perceived as the meeting point of freedom and necessity. The first shaped idea for a composition is a free action, a lively bunch of notes. From there on, an exploration of all the possibilities inherent in this first element starts. Whilst the original action is in itself completely free, it is then necessarily followed by a group of consequences. Together, this might be enough to create the work, but on the other hand, a piece might require a new free action which, related to the foregone consequences of the first idea, stirs up a new group of consequences. Put as a basic formula: Few actions, many consequences. As in geometry: Few axioms, many theorems and corollaries. Generally, I am not interested in working continuously; but rather in studying the impact of my initial actions. What particularly intrigues me is that zone where music is not a ‘wish’ but a ‘need’. To illustrate this with another example from the field of geometry: An equilateral triangle only really exists in the mind of those who understand it out of its abstract substance, since it is in fact only possible to draw an equilateral triangle approximately. It thus exists in a place where the ethical inner nature of a person knows to be right or not, to be true or false. The music I write aims to originate and live from there. Life, as well as music, is constantly searching a point of poise. My connection with the recorder dates from many years ago. In the late 1980’s a colleague asked me (…)