Versailles Sessions (Ltd Ed) (Vinyl) [Limited Edition, Import]

 

 

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Fernando Corona aka Murcof is probably one of the greatest musical talents to emerge in decades. He is a composer of exceptionally brilliant abilities in both electronic music and traditional, orchestral composition. His work is truly cutting edge with it's fantastically organic weave of tightly controlled electronics, electronic manipulation and orchestral scoring for traditional acoustic instruments. All three elements are blended into sonic sculpturing so seamlessly and naturally, it often gets very difficult when listening to isolate just what is electronic and what is acoustic. But that is not the point. It is in his deeply creative forms, the shapes and detailing of his compositions that Corona scintillatingly distinguishes himself.

"The Versailles Sessions" is his most recent, to date, recorded offering and it is quite distinctly different from his incredible debut release, "Martes". Less 'electronic', in the beat driven sense than his first album was, "Versailles" is way out there in it's avant garde composition and unique usage of 17th century period instruments. Harpsichord, Viola Da Gamba, Viola, Flute and even a Mezzo Soprano are used in ways that give this masterpiece an eerie otherworldliness that at times seems even stranger than the electronics. As always, Corona's electronics are a beautifully organic part of the pieces and are never used gratuitously. In fact, that kind of economy of means distinguishes his work and makes for a kind of deeply, inward intimacy that is truly impressive.

There are six pieces on "Versailles" that were originally composed in 2007 and presented, in situ, at Versailles as part of a light and water installation called Le Grande Eaux Nocturnes. It took another 2 years to bring this music to recording. Whether you imagine these pieces accompanying unusual formations of the light and water devices depicted on the cover or let go purely into the imagination, this startling recording will take you to places and states of mind that are completely unique. Remember, this music was composed for night and it truly matches its setting. "Louis XIV's Demons" is eerie and elegaic, it's viola da gamba and treated harpsichord providing an almost obsessive nightmare of shifting shades. Silences punctuate the piece as equally important parts of the music's form as well. The composition for "A Lesson for the Future, Farewell to the Old Ways" takes a vaguely 17th century harpsichord motif, after a beautifully haunting mezzo introduction, and gradually 'sinks' it, through progressive filtering, into a dark abyss until it slowly disappears - the past fading out behind us - to incredible effect. The 'future' then appears, after a long silence, with its more pronounced Ligeti-like abstraction. "Death of a Forest" is the most 'inward' of all the pieces of the set, it's hushed beauty a wonder in itself. It sets up for the Tinguely-esque "Spring in the Artificial Garden", a brilliant fantasy of the vast, highly 'rational' or extremely geometrical gardens of Versailles and their miraculously designed fountain sculptures. Corona's harpsichord and electronics not only 'illustrates' them, it provides a subjective take on the wonder of the gardens as if viewing them for the first time. It starts out in bright light and sparkling reflections and then gradually takes on a form of muted fear - as if we're witnessing the gradual decaying force of time turn the bright wonder of the gardens into something irrational, even surrealistic. The fractal unfolding of nature inevitably laying waste to the vanity of man's linear 'reason'. Again, the use of silence is just as important here as construction in sound, a definite Corona trademark. "Versailles" closes quite perfectly with a very old French melody, abstracted and permutated surrealistically in "Lully's 'Turquerie' Interpreted By An Advanced Script". It lopes and bops along in a slightly mad, somewhat threatening, folk dance and dissolves into the sound of Corona's much-loved crickets and a haunting flute fade out.

Only 50 minutes in length, "Versailles", nevertheless, fully satisfies and even seems to require immediate re-start upon completion. I haven't been so completely knocked out by a recording in years as much as I have been with "The Versailles Sessions". This is a must for lovers of truly rigorous, cutting edge music. Corona's career is something to truly keep tabs on. He has a clearly defined style and it's impressive to watch it unfold and evolve. As idiosyncratic as it is, his work is not without earlier precedents. Canadian, Electro-Acoustic composer, Wes R. D. Wraggett of B.C. has been creating equally stunning work in the same vein since the 1970's. His many works for electronics, acoustic instruments and electronics and acoustic instruments with pre-recorded tape, such as "Icarus Strictures - Parts 1 & 2", "By the Hair of the Temple Dog", "Nacht und Nebel" and "Los Nuevos Videntes" are much earlier work in the rich field that Murcof tills so beautifully now. In fact Wraggett's work makes for an uncanny kinship with Murcof's art as well. That being said, Corona's music bears his own personal stamp, as does Wraggett's, and he is an artist of considerable originality and accomplishment that is well worth paying close attention to. This man may just be one of the greatest new composers on the planet. Truly.

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