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CURRENT PROJECTS > Undress And Fly
(castellano más abajo - català a sota)
Description
Long before playing prepared pianos was commonplace, decades ago, Josep-Maria Balanyà began using these techniques and recording several albums.
However, for some time now, Balanyà has been giving concerts using only traditional piano. The result, however, can be quite different from that of a classical piano, due to the use of the sostenuto pedal and other techniques. Occasionally, the sound can be accompanied by reverb and delay.
It could be said that Balanyà's sound emerges from the pure piano outward in a way that, even though it uses low-tech, it can feel electronic to the ear.
The performance of UNDRESS AND FLY lasts sixty minutes, without breaks between the different movements. This continuity allows for a dramaturgy that unites each piece or movement, thus resulting in a unique work.
The musical material that Balanyà uses is immersed in elements of contemporary music, jazz, free music, experimental music and, fundamentally, his creative, living and permanent experience.
This music is an abstract interpretation of human feelings throughout its endless history of love and hate. Listening to Balanyà can make you feel being caressed and skinned alive at the same time.
Composition and interpretation by Josep-Maria Balanyà
CD in preparation.
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Mucho antes de que tocar pianos preparados fuera algo habitual, hace décadas, Josep-Maria Balanyà empezó a utilizar estas técnicas y a grabar varios discos.
Sin embargo, desde hace un tiempo, Balanyà vuelve a ofrecer conciertos utilizando únicamente el piano de forma tradicional. Pero el resultado puede ser diferente al de un piano clásico, debido al uso del pedal sostenuto y otras técnicas. Ocasionalmente, el sonido puede ser acompañado de reverbs y delays.
Podría decirse que el sonido que Balanyà hace surgir del piano puro, en algunos momentos puede sonar electrónico para el oído, aunque utilice lo que diríamos baja tecnología.
La duración de UNDRESS AND FLY es de unos sesenta minutos, sin pausas entre los distintos movimientos. Esta continuidad permite una dramaturgia que une cada pieza o movimiento, dando como resultado una única obra.
El material musical que Balanyà utiliza se sumerge en elementos de la música contemporánea, del jazz, de la música libre, de la experimental y, fundamentalmente, de su experiencia creativa, viva y permanente.
Esta música es una interpretación abstracta de los sentimientos humanos durante su interminable historia de amor y odio. Escucharla puede hacerte sentir como si te acariciaran y te despellejaran vivo a la vez.
Composición e interpretación:
Josep-Maria Balanyà -
Molt abans que tocar pianos preparats fos una cosa habitual, fa dècades, Josep-Maria Balanyà va començar a utilitzar aquestes tècniques i a enregistrar diversos discos.
Tot i això, des de fa un temps, Balanyà torna a oferir concerts utilitzant únicament el piano de manera tradicional. El resultat, però, pot ser diferent del d'un piano clàssic, a causa de l'ús del pedal sostenuto i altres tècniques. Ocasionalment, el so pot ser acompanyat de reverbs i delays.
Es podria dir que el so que Balanyà fa sorgir del piano pur, en alguns moments pot sonar electrònic per a l’oïda, encara que utilitzi una tècnica de baixa tecnologia.
La durada d’ UNDRESS AND FLY és d’uns seixanta minuts, sense pauses entre els diferents moviments. Aquesta continuïtat permet una dramatúrgia que uneix cada peça o moviment, donant com a resultat una obra única.
El material musical que Balanyà utilitza es submergeix en elements de la música contemporània, del jazz, de la música lliure, de l'experimental i, fonamentalment, de la seva experiència creativa, viva i permanent.
Aquesta música és una interpretació abstracta dels sentiments humans durant la seva interminable història d'amor i odi. Escoltar-la pot fer-te sentir com si t'acaronessin i t'escorxessin viu alhora.
Composició i interpretació:
Josep-Maria Balanyà
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The career of the pianist Josep-Maria Balanyà, born in Barcelona on July 25, 1949, with more of 40 years of work on stage, 28 recorded albums and more than 150 works, has taken him from the classical music and jazz until his specialization in the field of improvisation, new contemporary music, experimental and performance. Internationally recognized, Balanyà is also composer, director of improvisational orchestras, sound artist, painter and photographer.
Balanyà has studied in Barcelona, in Switzerland (Swiss Jazz School and Hochschule für Musik und Theater from Bern) and Germany (Europäische Kunstakademie Trier). He has attended composition workshops, led by Helmut Lachenmann, Walter Zimmermann and Ivan Fedele, and at Borah Bergman's improvisation workshops in New York. He has carried out intense work in the search for sounds of nature in Mexico in collaboration with oceanographers and biologists, such as the mastozoologist Bernardo Villa.
Among his works you can find projects for piano, voice, electronics, video, percussion and butoh dance He has created sculptures and interactive sound installations. His works for piano reflect his interest in complementing the pure sound of the instrument with prepared piano parts.
He has developed his most imaginative actions on the border between music and the performance, such as a recital in complete darkness in the Sendesaal in Bremen or the concerts for the bells of Trier Cathedral (Germany).In his projects he has played with top musicians, such as Joachim Kühn, Claudio Pontiggia, Hans Koch, Franz Hautzinger, Carlos Zingaro, Michiel Borstlap, Walter Quintus, Ksenija Lukić, Das Neue Ensemble Hannover, Americo Rodrigues, Hannah Marshall, Ramón López, Paul Rogers, Mark Sanders, Hannah Ma (dance), Ana Maria Rodríguez and Mimi Barthélemy among others.
Balanyà has played at festivals and radio programs in many countries in Europe and America. He has received several scholarships in Germany (Worpswede and Eckernförde) and Switzerland (Fondazione Marguerite Arp, Locarno). He currently resides in Brussels and Barcelona.
