The Third Orchestra
“Beyond the binary” was the first phrase Peter Wiegold used to describe what The Third Orchestra is all about. More than East and West, more than improvisation or composition, “a third way” as he put it, results when these pairs of apparent opposites are combined in his particular style. This approach draws both from his constantly evolving technique of conducted improvisation and his experience and prowess as a composer. The role of conductor serves to bridge the disciplines of composition and improvisation, as the act of directing fresh new material into a structure is akin to composition - only the time scale is different, being immediate and without possibility of revision. The music does indeed have an immediacy that only improvisation can engender. Couple this with raw material pre-composed by members of the band and you have a depth and identity to each piece that, with the volatility of the extemporised, yields an enthralling and satisfying richness to each performance. It was a privilege to be there and see a vision be realised so well.
There is an uncertainty that is inherent in this way of music making that could be unsettling to some. At times the music is in flux, finding its feet, and it’s constituent parts finding their roles within the whole. When dealing with timbres, articulations, textures and traditions that are rarely heard together, it is a matter of imagination and experiment. There is certainly potential for difficulty if the process is not approached in a sensitive and appropriate manner. I didn’t hear anything incongruous or inappropriate to my ears, and there were some daringly innovative combinations that I will describe below.
At this point it is important to emphasise the input and role of the performers themselves, as their abilities, experience and sensitivity was vital to the success of the venture. The orchestra included 22 solo musicians from all over the world, embracing a myriad of musical traditions. I think everyone was in awe of each member of the ensemble and to hear them in the various combinations that Peter instigated was delightful. Soulful spoken word met with pure soprano tone, whilst a groove of fretless bass and drums gave foundation to multicultural articulations of pizzicato and plucked gestures. Brass timbres blended with buzzing reeds and bows merged with all manner of different blown qualities.
With such a wealth of experienced, sensitive voices, and a vast range of variable parameters and levels of nuance in Peter’s hands, the possibilities seemed immense. You could feel a charge of this potential energy in the air.
Here are my responses to some of the moments that were generated that evening, together with a few quotes of Peter’s and some of the wonderful text written for the occasion.
A frenzy of forces
thrust down the rail
fixed to a frame of 11 pulses
building and bulging - blasting!
until we pierce through
and we cruise, controlled
We speed onward
past blurred vistas,
colours, images and figures
mere smears
or fractures and flashes
as we accelerate past
Then we sink
easing into a lull
a moment of repose
where we recall
and luxuriate in a stasis
of plateau
Structure is mobile
within boundaries
formed of types
of material
and modes
of making
Textures are drawn together
or torn apart
“Plot the space between
as well as the space together”
The Holy Night
Sometimes it feels to me
As if ethnicities
lose their identities
Seem stripped of their baggage
and become part of new families
of sounds
of articulations,
textures and timbres
Voices combine
rarely spoken
in conversation
agree without translation
A delightful unanimity
Korean flute
penetrates to my bones
and finds them ancient stone
staring stark at the sun
and speaking a silent wisdom
of ages beyond fathom
A buzzing sweet intensity
dips below the surface
then burns through into brightness
“Oh Black Orpheus
Is the air more clear to breath
now?”
Ursula Rucker
Liminal
A halo of sound
circles of bowed brightness
arcing over each other
in soft undulations
of silken strands
Punctuated points of delicacy
give us a sense of structure
landmarks along the way
As the halo fills and gathers
widening its beam across the scape
on ever undulating waves ascending
A warmth is born within
a core of hope
Body temperature
A human voice
as pulse bounds us in being
and we return to earth
Families of articulation:
slaps and slides
bows and breath
Taps and trickles
thrums and hums
strokes and stutters
Repetition and Freedom
engulf each other
into strata of complexity
echelons of entanglement
pebbles tumble down escalators
blueprints melt around cobblestones
…and the dice of chance roll onwards…
(...perfect cubes tumbling chaotically)
Love Far Away
Voices given space to shine
speaking native tongues
Emanate from distant corners
Meeting in the warm air of a London room
Sentiments shared across language barriers
and the vast distance between traditions
Empathise through the purity of sound
of what it is to be human!
“Pay attention to the path travelled
so you can find your way back
home”
Home
Soprano sax melody
leading the way
out
As ensemble reinforces
nourishes and encourages
onwards
Out further and further
along the path
until we begin to feel a wider world
Premonition of the Space Between
The saxophone and Korean flute combined their buzzing reeds
Muted brass melted into mouth organ harmonica
Whilst ostinato ground us in time
The Poison Fire
Sliding into places
the bass paces the feel
Layer after layer is compiled
Playing with the edge
a dissonant arrangement of intensity
a tension of texture
and puzzlement of pitch relation
Question!?!
Apprehension?!?
Suspension!?!
In the gorge of chaos
Entropy turns in a gyre
as disparate patterns
revolve around each other
content to jar against their neighbour
against the whole
and every voice is given its turn
in revolution
Drop it down
cut the chord
then let it grow again
This is a melting pot
“Crack it open!”