for Solo Violin and African birdcalls

The Responsorium merges artificial and natural music, composed and found sounds, and also – on a different level – technological and natural sound production. The birdcalls have been sampled and have thereby become controlable. They can be reproduced at specific times, in certain tempi and at determined pitches. They have not been changed or manipulated though (which of course would also have been possible). The aim was rather to use them in their naturalness, as though they were conventional musical elements – motives, melodies, ostinato figures. In these functions they then obviously obtain structural importance as opposed to merely being some colourful interjections. However, always in a very playful manner.

Credit and thanks to Len Gillard: The calls used for this piece were taken from his cassette series: Southern African Bird Calls, Part 1. A CD for playing back the bird calls is available with the music.

The soloists:

Redchested Cuckoo – Piet my vrou – Cuculus solitarius
Cape Turtle Dove – Gewone Tortelduif – Streptopelia capicola
Redeyed Dove – Grootringduif – Streptopelia semitorquata
Wood Owl – Bosuil – Strix woodfordii