The so-called laws of nature, by David Lang, FRAMES Percussion

The so-called laws of nature

by David Lang, FRAMES Percussion

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	1.	the so-called laws of nature - Part I 11:54
	2.	the so-called laws of nature - Part II 10:39
	3.	the so-called laws of nature - Part III 09:54

about

I went to college to study science. I was expected to become a doctor, or at the very least a medical researcher, and I spent much of my time during my undergraduate years studying math and chemistry and physics hanging out with future scientists, going to their parties, sharing their apartments, eavesdropping on their conversations. I remember a particularly heated discussion about a quote from Wittgenstein: “At the basis of the whole modern view of the world lies the illusion that the so-called laws of nature are the explanation of natural phenomena”. This quote rankled all us future scientists, as it implied that science can’t explain the universe but can only offer mere descriptions of things observed. Over the years it occurred to me that this could be rephrased as a musical problem. Because music is made of proportions and numbers and formulas and patterns I always wonder what these numbers actually mean. Do the numbers themselves generate a certain structure, creating the context and the meaning and the form, or are they just the incidental byproducts of other, deeper, more mysterious processes? My piece ‘the so-called laws of nature’ tries to explore the “meaning” of various processes and formulas. The individual parts are virtually identical –the percussionists play identical patterns throughout, playing unison rhythms on subtly different instruments. Some of the patterns between the players are displaced in time. Some are on instruments which have a kind of incoherence built into their sound. Does the music come out of the patterns or in spite of them? I am not sure which, but I know that this piece is as close to becoming a scientist as I will ever get.

The instruments in my piece are not standardized musical instruments. Most of these instruments the performers are required to build themselves, so every group will end up having its own unique sound. Scraps of wood, pieces of metal, clay pots –how the players shape the raw materials creates the piece’s sound world and tonality and feel. The rhythms in my piece are all strictly notated and meticulously controlled –there is not much room there for individuality or interpretation. It is in the choice of sounds that each performance can have some room for interpretation, some room to be expressive. That is where each ensemble’s personality will be found.

I am very excited about this recording of ‘the so-called laws of nature’. The performance by Frames Percussion is amazing, the recording is sparkling and crystal clear. Most of all I am happy that it sounds so different from the recording by Sō Percussion. I wrote ‘the so-called laws of nature’ for Sō Percussion and their recording is also great –I was at their recording sessions and I watched over everything as it was happening, and their recording was released on Cantaloupe, the label that I co-own. And yet, the piece, by design, has a huge range of options available to the performers, and I am happy that Frames Percussion has explored them, so thoroughly, and so well.

David Lang

credits

released July 23, 2022

CREDITS:

Recorded at
Auditorio de Zaragoza, Spain
July 2015

Composed by
David Lang

Performed by
FRAMES Percussion
Miquel Vich Vila, Ruben Orio, Feliu Ribera Riera, Ferran Carceller Amorós

Sound
N Music Production · Santi Barguñó, Hugo Romano Guimarães

Music editing assistant
Luis Codera Puzo

Liner notes
Adam Sliwinski, David Lang

Graphic Art Direction
Lorena Alonso. Estudio Gerundio

Mixed and mastered with
Dynaudio speakers

Produced by
Santi Barguñó

license

about

Neu Records Barcelona, Spain

Neu Records is an independent label devoted to recording contemporary music in surround and 3D formats, as well as a platform for interaction between composers and performers.

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