Cláudio de Pina | CESEM
Бориска Колоколa (Boriska Bells) is a hommage to the russian director Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-1986). Boriska is a fictional character from the soviet biographical historical drama Andrei Rublev (1966), a young boy that starts the endeavor of building a bell. The film is loosely based on the life of Andrei Rublev, a 15th century russian Icon painter. The plot turns around for the main character when he witnesses the casting of a bell for the Grand Prince. Boriska is the son of a bellmaker that all is family died from the plague. While in death bed, his father partake the secret of casting a bronze bell. The film is deeply philosophical and moving, dealing with aspects about sin; hunger, sickness besides portraying the harsh Russian life at the time. The epilogue of the film is the only part that is shown in colour, of Icons from Andrei Rublev, cross fading in the end to four horses standing by a river in the rain. This piece is completely synchronized with this epilogue, and was a point of view, regarding composition.
Bell casting and ringing is an important part of the russian society, deeply rooted on the Orthodox Church to the point that they can be called “singing icons”. Those bells are anointed and blessed and are rather different of the European bells, even in sound with a narrower interval in the bell (a 7th instead of the usual octave) so producing a completely different harmonic content. Never the less, is the rhythm that is important, while “chiming” the bells, and not the intervals. With Boriska Bells both the harmonic and inharmonic and rhythmic changes coexist. All sound material is derived from the recording of bells, except other usual sound material that Tarkovsky continuously uses in his films; rain, thunder and water drops.
The sound transformations where done with convolution and other FFT transformations to preserve the character of the bells. A real impulse response of a church in six channels where used to spread the sound to all channels thru reverberation. The musical quotations are deeply rooted on Tarkovsky’s sound imaginary. Bach plays a great role to the director and he uses it to develop the emotion of the scene. The pipe organ chorale Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu from the Orgelbuchlein of Bach appears in Solaris and is quoted by other directors (Nymphomaniac, by Lars Von Trier). In the movie Offret, Tarkovsky explores the philosophical aspects, with the quote of Komm süsser Tod from Bach. So, a hommage could not be completed without the pastiche of using them appropriately.
This piece was officially chosen in the international festival MA/IN 2019, performed in Matera, Italy.
It is used by Barry Truax in the Soundscape Composition as Context-Based Creation course (Simon Fraser University).
Cláudio de Pina
CESEM
Cláudio de Pina (b.1977) is a sound artist, improviser, organist and composer. Titular organist of the historical organ at the Parish of Ajuda (Lisbon). Researcher in GIMC (CESEM). Holds a DAS regarding contemporary organ music and a MA distinguished with the Dean’s Honour Roll 2018. Currently a PhD candidate and FCT fellow in the same field (ESML/FCSH). Studied in Gregorian Institute of Lisbon, Hot Jazz Club and Physics Engineering (FCUL).
Had further studies with Adrian Moore, Åke Parmerud, Annette Vande Gorne, Barry Truax, Gilles Gobeil, Hans Tutschku, and Trevor Wishart.
His work has been premiered worldwide in; Arte no Tempo, Aveiro Síntese, Binaural Nodar, Festival DME, Festival Zeppelin, Iklectic, MUSLAB, MA/IN, Perpectivas Sonoras, Lisboa Incomum, L’Espace du Son, and World Soundscape Project. His acousmatic works have been published in MA/IN 2019 and Métamorphoses 2020. Self released two albums Asteroeidēs and Palimpsestus. Released in 2022, Avant-garde Organ, funded by GDA Foundation and published by 9musas. Released in 2023, Aether Ventus, published by blumlein records.
Cláudio de Pina (n.1977) é artista sonoro, compositor, investigador e organista. Titular do órgão histórico de Machado e Cerveira na Paroquial da Ajuda. Investigador integrado no Grupo de Investigação de Música Contemporânea (CESEM). Detém um Diploma de Estudos Avançados em Artes Musicais (FCSH/ESML) na área de música contemporânea para órgão. Mestre em Artes Musicais, com distinção no quadro de Honra, Melhor Mestre 2018 (FCSH). Actualmente é candidato a Doutoramento e investigador FCT. Estudou no Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa, Hot Jazz Clube e Eng. Física (FC/UL). Estudou também com; Adrian Moore, Åke Parmerud, Annette Vande Gorne, Barry Truax, César Viana, Eurico Carrapatoso, Gilles Gobeil, Hans Tutschku, Jaime Reis, Vincent Debut e Trevor Wishart.
A sua produção artística e científica foca-se em; análise musical, composição, música electroacústica, acústica, síntese sonora, órgão, interpretação e paisagem sonora.
O seu trabalho académico e artístico já foi premiado, editado e publicado internacionalmente em eventos como; Arte no Tempo, Aveiro Síntese, Binaural Nodar, Festival DME, Festival Zeppelin, Ikklectic, MA/IN, MUSLAB, Lisboa Incomum, L’Espace du Son, Perspectivas Sonoras, Radiophrenia e World Listening Project. As suas obras acusmáticas foram editadas nas colectâneas MA/IN 2019 e Métamorphoses 2020, concursos de composição no qual foi finalista. Publicou em 2020, Asteroeidēs, música para órgão e electrónica e Palimpsestus, música acusmática. Lançou em 2022, Avant-garde Organ, edição crítica de obras vanguardistas em órgão histórico Português, com o apoio da Fundação GDA e publicado por 9musas com crítica favorável na Ípsilon (Público), 4,5 em 5, e internacionalmente nas revistas The Wire e Scherzo. Em 2023 lançou Aether Ventus, com Andrew Levine, publicado por Blumlein Records com órgão histórico, theremin e sintetizadores modulares.