Voyage of the Ancients
Joseph Bertolozzi
About this work:
"Voyage of the Ancients" is a vibrant suite evocative of mythical times when heroic mariners sailed to the horizon and through underground seas. A complete studio recording is planned but for the moment only the second* and final** movements are available here, though you can hear and see an excerpt of the first movement by going to the VIDEO CLIP menu at www.JosephBertolozzi.com.
* "The First Landfall" evokes the anticipation and joy of seeing land after a long journey at sea.
** "The Homecoming" evokes the primeval sailors who, after a long journey, dance on the deck in joy as they see their homeland appear over the horizon.
The movements are as follows:
1. The Summons/Setting Sail
2. The First Landfall
3. The Waves of the Lindenbrook Sea
4. Relentless: Toward the Horizon
5. On The Sea of Japan
6. The Homecoming
The Bronze Collection is a scintillating exploration of the world of gongs & cymbals containing over 50 gongs and cymbals from Java, China, Burma, Tibet, Thailand, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Turkey, Germany, Switzerland and North America, as well as several chimes and Roto-toms. Redefining earlier concepts of melody, rhythm and texture, this unique, inter-cultural palette of my own design combines sounds rarely heard together or in a unified context. Rhythmic instruments sing, melodic ones pulse, and other combinations exist simply as sonic events. Emotionally, physically, the music inhabits the listener. Using custom mallets, drumsticks, brushes, foot pedals and a bow, Bertolozzi combines a discrete mix of high and low, bright and dark, short and sustained, pitched and unpitched gongs, cymbals and roto-toms into a new sonic world. It's tribal! It's avant-garde! It's ambient! It's world!
Think you know what new music is like? Think again!
Year composed: 2003
Duration: 00:35:00
Ensemble type: Solo instrument, non-keyboard:Percussion (General)
Instrumentation: 1 Percussion (General)
Instrumentation notes: Multiple gongs, cymbals, roto-toms using mallets, drumsticks, brushes, foot pedals and a bow.