b. 1975 || Website || YouTube || SoundCloud || Twitter
Arturo Fuentes is a Mexican composer currently residing in Innsbruck. He has written over one hundred pieces and his works are performed internationally over thirty times a year. His music is very diverse and colorful. Additionally almost half of his repetoire uses electro-acoustic tracks or contains video.
Disparate Feminino is written for piano and soundtrack. It has some beautiful melodies phrases wrapped in exquisite harmonies. One of the aspects I really enjoy about Fuentes's music is how varied he is. This piece is beatiful, light, almost magical in a sense. However, compared with other pieces of his it is quite delicate and unassuming. However, as composers, many of us care more about the individual piece that needs to be written, and less about falling into a certain "style" that could be characterised as "us".
Disparate Femenino
MOOD written for solo cello (amplified) explores some extended techniques for strings. He creates a type of percussive string sound by tapping on the strings while moving up and down the fingerboard, slightly plucks the strings, and taps the bridge. (For this piece, it is really best that you watch the video, or a live performance rather then just merely listening because you can see all the different ways that the performer is producing sound from this beautiful instrument.) Also, because he has amplified the cello, he really allows the listener to experience the full dynamic capabilities of these techniques, which are generally more quiet.
MOOD
Heavy is written for twelve saxophones, a saxophone soloist, and electronics. Many composers use the electronic track alongside of the acoustic instruments to add a different voice, or as a background to what they are composing. However here, the saxophones are barely distinguishable from the electronic track. Instead of having a dialogue between instruments, Fuentes uses it to create a soundscape or an experience. This piece is definitely more eclectic in nature and is somewhat similar to some of his other pieces in style (regarding the electroacoustic track).
Heavy
Arturo Fuentes is an extremely varied composer. His music and sense of creativity in regards to electronics, and use of extended techniques pushes me to create outside of my comfort zone and to think beyond my musical "box of tools". I enjoy listening to his varied collection of pieces and want to continue to be challenged by his innovation.
For any news, music, or other information about Arturo Fuentes make sure to visit his Website, YouTube, SoundCloud, or Twitter.
For anyone who needs it:
I do not own any of the videos, or music in this blog post or any other posts in my blog.
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