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The Czech composer VLADIMÍR HIRSCH (born 3rd July 1954 in Benešov u Prahy) has been composing since 1972, when, as pianist and organ player, he started to compose small romantic and classicist compositions for these instruments. Soon, though, he abandons these compositions for a longer period and takes up experimental rock music in various formations.
In 1987 he decided to focus on classical musical form as well, nevertheless with an attempt to enhance the action potential by modern means of expression and by searching for specific processes.
He attempts to resume the tradition of 20th century Czech and other Slavic music, but eventually attains his own clear-cut position both in tone creative principles as in composition style and opinion on
orchestration and the role of not quite musical components in it. Typical for him are new sonic characteristics of classical instruments, created by force of digital technique.
He makes efforts to reach of organic incorporation of seemingly distinct or irreconcilable elements into the living form, called
by him INTEGRATED MUSIC. He is founder and leader of ensembles SKROL, AGHIATRIAS and ZYGOTE. |
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SYNTHETICS - THEMES
Album of compositions for synthesizers, op. 17. 1986-1987. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: synthesizers, tapes.
Experimental project for synthesizers, predominantly of space-ambient character. First author´s conceptual solo work, abandoning the curse of interprets´ routine.
SYMPHONY No. 1 "in E"
Symphony for synthesizers and percussions, op. 20. 1988. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: synthesizers, percussions. The first of the symphonies, composed for synthesisers, is a four-movement composition, which as if it was trying to show the number of ways the author was to take in his development. The basic themes are handled here with an attempt to exhaust various alternatives of harmony, the composition structure is more subject to experiment then the sound itself. It is an introspective project,
of a very intense, in parts painful dwelling in the atmosphere of the work, trying to implicate the conflict of the inner world as seen through feelings and rational thought.
Album of compositions for piano, synthesizers, drum-machine and vocal, op. 22, 1989.
Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: piano and other keyboards, drum-machine, vocal.
Monothematic collection of songs with inly lyrical polarization.
Unified sound is characterized by dominated expressive piano score,
monotonous rhytmics and darkened vocal - all in dark and calm athmosphere of synthetical stops of keyboards.
Album of compositions for ORGAN, op. 23, 25, 26 & 28. 1987-1991.
Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: organ. Collection of organ works, composed between 1987 and 1991 in experimental style, combinated traditional classical attitude with modern
sound and author´s specific modal and tonal system.
SIMPLICITY OF HERESY Suite for integrated orchestra, op. 39. 1995-1996. Musicians: Czech integrated ensemble; Vladimír Hirsch - organ, pianos and other keyboards.
Initial author´s work in terms of integrated music philosophy. Suite of epic character, centered on the religious and seemingly obsolete theme of heresy, which nonetheless functions as a mere symbolic expanse for the central idea. While making use to a great extent of unique synthesised sounds of string instruments, brass, classical organ, densely enhanced piano, drums and combinations of these, the atmosphere mentioned above serves here, only as a sort of hardly identifiable background. Severe militant rhythms enhance the relentless music, along with a basis of instrumental loops. Their obstinate character should serve as a counterpoint to the melodic themes developed upon them.
This project version became the base of SKROL album Heretical Antiphony. Symphony for integrated orchestra, op. 47, 1997. Musicians: Czech integrated ensemble; Vladimír Hirsch: pianos, synthesizers and other keyboards:
The second symphony is intended for the so-called ”integrated orchestra” (as is the majority of the author’s works), using both authentic and synthetic instrumentation from the classical symphony orchestra, enhanced by industrial sounds which add colour to the compositions. Developed here are also some of the author’s leading motifs, that have not yet been fully exploited in the past. It is an allegory, where the virtual physical collision of two antagonistic worlds represents a similar kind of interference occurring on the level of elementary ethical values inside an individual. It is a kind of autobiographic apology of a failure in a similar kind of fight.
Revised version (2001) will be officially released in 2007 as first part of CD "Symphony No. 2 & 3", released by Ars Benevola Mater label. This album was produced by Tom Saivon.
1 Part I. Incorporatio (mp3) CONCERT INDUSTRIEL
POUR ORGUE Concerto for organ, sythesizers, percussions and orchestra, op. 49. 1998. Musicians: Czech integrated ensemble, Vladimír Hirsch: organ and other keyboard; conducted by author. This work is initially an extensive composition in quasi-oratorial form, in final version abbreviated and restructuralised. Classical form is here only in contours. Opus is characterised by thematic spurts, erupting in desultory pulses and, exhausted, dying away in a mass of industrial sounds, without consequent ending of idea. The industrial matrix is also a space and energy source for volcanic activity proper.
The solo role of the organ is surprisingly not dominant and its parts are often taken over by other instruments.
The re-worked second version (live and studio) of the project is markedly shorter, placing more emphasis on systematic approach to its theme, without essentially influencing the above said basic qualities of the opus. Last revised version was officially released by Italian label Ars Benevola Mater in October 2006; produced by Tom Saivon.
SENSE GEOMETRY Album of compositions for synthesizers, drums, percussions and digital technique, op. 54. 1998. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: synthesizers, samplers, drums, computer.
Conceptual album of compositions, based on author´s fictive, geometric symbolism of certain mechanisms of the human psyche.
It is an attempt to detect or prove the existence of a certain order in illusory chaos.
The author calls this musical form of mathematical theory “fractal musical geometry”, as has already been mentioned.
To this purpose he uses signals of intervals, rhythm, structure and instrumentation logic. Sound is an important component, creating a simply structured, yet emotionally tense atmosphere, where the lightly industrialised or noise instrumentation of the compositions plays the role of the chaotic and likewise irritating element, the hypnotic rhythm than the role of order’s go-between, pointing attention’s direction to another levels of seeing things.
Original recording on CDR, second, revised version (2004) officially released by Ars Benevola Mater in September 2006 (produced by Tom Saivon). Complete themes of the project were used as the base of Zygote album "Geometrie nevědomí".
1 Tetragons (Figure 1) CASUAL CRIME Album of compositions for jazz quartet, 1998.
Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: piano, Zbygniew Zieliński: alto sax, Jean-Jacques Cerf: contrabass, Ted Hart: drums & percussions.
Compositions, arising from romantic author´s themes and developing by standrad way in terms of jam session of classic jazz quartet.
This album is some reminiscence of composer´s period of active interest in jazz music.
1 Année de guêpe ARSENICA / LESS THAN NOTHING
Album of compositions for synthesizers, samples, radio recordings, op.40 + 58. 1995-99.
Recorded under the name SUBPOP SQUEEZE: Vladimír Hirsch - synthesizers, drums, samples, computer.
Compilation, created by selection from two projects very similar in orientation.
Although by genre it is characterised as subpop, being rather rock than serious, nonetheless it is a certain specific form of applying
integrated music concepts involuntarily. Thematically it is opposed to the media politics and principles of directed intoxication of the population.
It does so using hyperbole and irony, radio broadcasts instead of vocals, often rhythmically tied with the musical base.
The compositions have the form of songs and are all based on loops of simpler keyboard or guitar riffs, inserted into a specific ambient.
Selection from opuses. 40 and 58.
1 Republica (mp3) Symphony for integrated orchestra, organ and percussions with sub-title "Sinfonia integra
per orchestra, organo e percussione", op.52. 1998. Musicians: Czech integrated ensemble, conducted by Vladimír Hirsch; soloists: mezzosoprano: Martina Sanollová, organ: Vladimír Hirsch.
This symphonic work is a kind of recapitulation of the author’s creative period between 1987-98.
It is a highly uncompromising, even aggressive project, thematically concerned with the crisis of values of today’s world. It gives us a pitiless image of its chaos, paradoxically serving itself as an excuse for the soulless stereotypes of life, a cheap apology of the absence of blame for it. The author does not avoid a certain level of cruelty here, yet it fully corresponds to the necessary level of intensity that the cry of warning be heard in a strong emotionally hypo-acoustic (hard of hearing) environment. Even through its univocally signalised scepticism the composition is filled with the effort to undermine the bonds of stereotypes on the one hand and on the other to bind chaos, as a yearning for the spiritual purification of society. The pitiless view is documented by a highly martial character of the individual, mostly short meter movements.
Symphony No. 3 is formally once again a relatively classical unit, but conceived already fully in the spirit of the author’s philosophy
of the so-called integrated music. It is an opus, at the end of which we feel utmost exhaustion,
but also faith in the giving up of oneself to an idea, notwithstanding the futility, by which it is surrounded.
The final movement, which brings us back, in the manner of Sisyphus, to the very beginning of the process, but on a different level, is proof of this.
The second revised version (2001) is the component of officially released album "Symphony No. 2 & 3" (Ars Benevola Mater), produced by Tom Saivon. 1 I. Allegro
assai. Attacamente MISSA
PESTILENS INTEGRA Mass for integrated ensemble and female vocal, op. 59, 1999. Adaptation of Diamanda Galás album "Plague Mass"(1990, Mute Records) in arrangement and concept of Vladimír Hirsch, supplemented by a few original compositions.
Musicians: Diamanda Galás: vocal, pianor, Vladimír Hirsch: organ, synthesizers, noises, drums, David Linton: percussions, Blaise Dupuy: keyboards, Ramon Díaz: electronic percussions, Michael McGrath: tapes.
It is a nesting in of authentic parts of Diamanda Galás’ „Plague Mass“ into an integrated composition, supplemented by a few shorter compositions and conceived as an authorial partnership. The album is adapted into the formal structure of a classical mass with all liturgical parts. 1 Introitus /V.Hirsch/ DREAM MONSTERS EXORCISMS
(Exorcisms, vol. 1) Album of compositions for group, op. 61 a, 1999.
Recorded under the name SUBPOP SQUEEZE: Vladimír Hirsch - synthesizers, drums, samples, comp.
Contrary to the preceding album of SUBPOP SQUEEZE, the second one no longer sounds like methodical entertainment, mainly thanks to its unifying, more serious thought conception.
It is grounded in a certain specific boundary situation in the author’s life, at first adapted in writing, later adapted musically.
The music schame is basically rock, typically combined within with sampled loops.
The melodramatic expression of states of anxiety, full of lyrics, together with the formally compact sound of the album makes for a unique statement,
regardless of certain formal defects and occasional shoddy resources.
This projects has not - excepting the related theme - connotation with another Vladimír Hirsch´s album "EXORCISMS" (vol. 2),
which is totally created in spirit of author´s main concept of integrated musical form.
1 Here Come Dream
Monsters DE
REGIONIBUS LIMINIS Thematic album for integrated ensemble, op.68. 2002-2003. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch - synthesizers, drums, samples, computer. Participation: Tom Saivon - samples, Czech Integrated Ensemble.
A dark-ambient album devoted to the theme of subliminal sensual perception and its fictive musical applicaiton.
An abstract conception of the confrontation between the surreal and real world (artificial ambient versus realistic industrial sound).
The meditative character of the compositions is brightened by discharges of a kind of radioactive irradiation, representing the fleeing moments of understanding. The formation aims for purity of expressive means in an effort to accentuate the role of the primarily suppressed and ignored spiritual dimension of our world, while pointing to the importance of the liminal “structures” of our perception.
Concept, themes and compositions bases of this project represent groundwork of 3rd AGHIATRIAS album "Regions Of Limen". 1 Illuminatio FRAGMENTS, THEMES ET IMAGES SCÉNIQUES (LES SCÈNES ARDENTES, VOL. 1) Scenic music. 1990-2005. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch: synthesizers, drums, samplers, computer, Czech Integrated Ensemble.
A selection of mainly short-lenght tracks, which frame the global survey of author´s scenic musical works in period between 1990 and 2004. Album content rearranged excerpts, abbreviated or adapted versions of compositions. Special digipack of 2 CDRs with total time 127 minutes. NONTERRA
Suite for integated ensemble, op. 73. 2004-2005. Musicians:
Czech Integrated Ensemble, Vladimír Hirsch: synthesizers, drums, samplers, computers. A suite in the spirit of integrated music focusing on confrontation of spiritual and materialistic world, traditional for the composer.
Musical themes of modern classic and ambient clash with periodically repeating elements of fashionable trends of pop music and attack their rhythmic, structures and melodies. They become their inner destructive agent and challenge of tattiness and first-signal degradation of human feeling, governing the conventional taste. It is obvious though that the tout ensemble is skeptical as the end states sadness from status quo, loneliness and weakness of the individual, e.g. disbelief in a practical possibility to overcome the overwhelming panegodeism of contemporary human.
The title NONTERRA, thus NONEARTH, is more than explicit in this context. 1 Ante lucem SYMPHONY
NO. 4 "DESCENT FROM THE CROSS" Symphony for integrated orchestra and choir, op. 67. 2001-2005.
Musicians: Czech integrated ensemble and choir, conducted by author. Soloists: Vladimír Hirsch-pianos, electronic keyboards, programming, Martina Sanollová - mezzo-soprano, Dominika Karčovská - sopranovocals. Produced by Tom Saivon.
Thematic opus, inspired originally by Dostoevski’s interpretation of Hans Holbein´s painting of same name.
It is a polemic with his questioning of the Christian faith in Christ’s resurrection, since the level of cogency in portraying a truly dead body is strikingly exposed in the works of the German artist. Also because of this the symphony may be understood as a sort of filling of the gap between Christ’s death and laying into the grave (see indiv. parts), i.e. the process, which is not given much space in the bible. The author is trying to create a deeply immersed, painful perception here, dominated by uncertainty and doubt, but through the belief in spiritual strength inclined to hope and strife for the fulfilling of the faith’s thesis. In expressive terms the work combines expressive means ranging from symphonic to noise, in a totality which up to now represents the author’s concept of the so-called integrated musical form the best. 1 Part I: After Expiry (mp3) EXORCISMS (Exorcisms Vol. 2) Thematic album for integrated ensemble (1999) in revised version (2006), op. 61/2. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch - keyboards, synthesizers, vocals, drums, programming);
participation of Czech Integrated Ensemble, Tom Saivon (mix), Dominika Karčovská and Martina Sanollová (vocals). Mastered by Jan Seibt. Produced by Tom Saivon.
Revocation of the theme of exorcisms (op. 61/1) in integrated musical form. 1 Exorcism 1: Confiteor LES SCÈNES ARDENTES (Vol. 2)
Album of selected tracks, originally composed or arranged for live performances in the period between 1994 - 2003.
Re-arranged and remixed in 2005-2006. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch - keyboards, synthesizers, samplers, drums, vocals, programming; participation
of Martina Sanollová (mezzosoprano) and Dominika Karčovská (soprano) and Czech Integrated Ensemble. Mastered by Vojtěch Haňka. Produced by Tom Saivon. A collection of scenic works, adapted as
fully conceptual album. 1 1 Scène I. Introduction TORMENT OF NAISSANCE Thematic album for integrated ensemble, op. 78, 2007. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch - keyboards, synthesizers, samplers,
programming). Participation: Dove Hermosa (vocal, lyrics). Produced by Tom Saivon. Mastered by Vojtěch Haňka.
Studio remix and application of concert program as fully conceptual album with the theme of creationist paralells between the nascency of cosmos and human. 1 Phase 1 - Inception TOBRUK Soundtrack to the movie with the same name. 2008. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch - keyboards, synthesizers, samplers, programming)
with participation of Czech Integrated Ensemble. Mastered by Vojtěch Haňka. Thematic album, created from the author´s original (not realized - 2nd place in the competition) soundtrack to the movie of director Václav Marhoul "Tobruk"
from the milieu of Czech military unit and its role in the well-known battle in North Africa during WWII. 1 Agami (Introduction) CONTEMPLATIO PER NEXUS Thematic album for integrated ensemble and solo vocals, op.77, 2007-2008. Musicians: Vladimír Hirsch - keyboards, synthesizers,
samplers, programming), Dove Hermosa (solo vocal, lyrics), Czech Integrated Ensemble. Produced by Tom Saivon. Mastered by Vojtěch Haňka. Extent composition (77 min.) on philosophical-teological theme,
coming out of the writing "Teologia spiritualis mystica", describing the process of transformation of human mind during mystical contemplation, leading to spiritual cognition of God. 1 Conetmplatio per negationem (Vestibulum - Obscuritas - Sitis - Tortio sensuum) |