surround diffusion 5.1
duration: 16’30”
commisson: Institut International de Musique Electroacoustique de Bourges (FRA)
1st performance: Bourges, Festival “Syntèse 97”, Palais Jacqes Coeur – may 30, 1997
performer: Mahammad Ghavi Helm
Honorary Mention – Prix Ars Electronica ’98-Linz
The piece was commissioned by the Institute of Electro-acoustic Music of Bourges. It was conceived and completely realized in Bourges, in the first months of 1997, in the Charybde studio of the Institute.
“De Zarb à Daf” is the result of an encounter between two musical worlds that seem as distant as can be: electro-acoustic music and traditional Iranian music. It is an endeavour to bring two cultures together through the creation of music, moving toward areas which are not yet familiar while maintaining a link of continuity between the traditions of the past and the technology of the future and blending their particular emotional qualities with respect and sensitivity for both.
“De Zarb à Daf” also lets us into a special relationship arising between two musicians who have brought together their completely different experiences: Luigi Ceccarelli, an Italian electro-acoustic composer and Mahammad Ghavi Helm, an Iranian percussionist.
The title of this piece refers to the Zarb and the Daf, both of which are traditional Iranian drums, which are an integral part of all the passages of the work, starting from the live sound recording and leading to the final piece in its fully elaborated form.
“De Zarb à Daf” is intended as a homage to Master Teherani, who is a pioneer of the technique of playing the Zarb. It also proposes to launch a style involving the combination of centuries-old musical performance techniques with the resources of digital technology.
CD – ICMC 2008 – Routes/Roots
including De Zarb à Daf
performed by Mahammad Ghavi Helm
duration 17:44
ICMC 2008 – International Computer Music Conference
Sonic Arts Research Center
BUY
CD – Zarbing -Edison Studio
La Frontiera LFDL 18401 – RaiTrade RTP00902005
including – De Zarb à Daf
performed by Mahammad Ghavi Helm
produced by Edison Studio for La Frontiera and RAI Trade
main performances
May 30, 97 – Bourges (Fra), Festival “Syntèse 97”, Palais Jacqes Coeur
Apr 01, 97 – Bourges (Fra), Maison de la Culture, Grand Théatre
Mar 04, 99 – Lucé (Fra), Espace Culturel Autrica
Jun 26, 99 – Ravenna (Ita), Ravenna Festival, Teatro Goldoni-Bagnacavallo “Luce d’Oriente”
Nov 26, 00 – Stockholm (Sve), Sodra Teatern, Persisk Musik
Nov 21, 02 – Roma (Ita), Edisonstudio Crossings, Sala Casella
Jun 03, 03 – Bruxelles (Belgio), Festival Musiques et Recherches, Chapelle de Boondael
May 12, 04 – Roma (Ita), International Rostrum of Electroacoustic Music, Conservatorio
Dec 08, 04 – Milan (Ita), Milano Musica, Spazio Antologico
Apr 07, 06 – Helsinki (Fin), Chamber Concert Hall, Sibelius Academy
Sep 25, 07 – Rimini (Ita), Sagra Musicale Malatestiana, Teatro degli Atti
Sep 27, 08 – Belfast (UK), ICMC International Computer Music Conference, Mandela Hall
Sep 22, 11 – Roma (Ita), Auditorium Parco della Musica, Teatro Studio,, Zurkhaneh
Rewiev
De Zarb à daf (1997) is the incessant proliferation of percussive sounds. Surprises, fascinates, conquest. ZARB and DAF are the tambur names of the Persian tradition, live employees by the Iranian solo (French citizen now) Mahamad Ghavi Helm that gave the sounds of him to Ceccarelli samplers. A formidable score output. Undegeable echoes of an archaic musical culture, but here there is the whole metropolis that boils, which innermonion of conflicts and multiple subjectivity. The magical machines of Ceccarelli fractional the beats, dilates them, enter seismic areas, evoke an Elvin Jones or a Hamid Drake at the cube.
Mario Gamba – Il manifesto, 6 October 2007