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"home(m)": Score

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“home(m)”:

a sound translation of

"Queima do Home"

in an ensemble piece

“home(m)”:

a sound translation of

"Queima do Home"

in an ensemble piece

Introduction

Introduction

Reflection

       This was the way I decided to transpose the “Queima do home” to music. The elements previously presented exist in this tradition both in sonic form (not necessarily musical) and in physical expression, and have been worked on in order to achieve a better artistic result.

       I sought to use this tradition from Braga because it is a tradition that was almost lost: it is only due to the work and will of the Rusga de S. Vicente that this tradition is kept. Besides, it represents a recent past in which Braga was still a very rural town.

       I also used this tradition because I wanted to pay homage to my mother who often spoke to me about the “Queima do home” - my mother was a member of the Rusga de S. Vicente until I was born. So, I wanted to dedicate this piece to her.

       Another reason why I decided to use this event as an influence was the fact that I foresee this event being developed somehow. As any tradition - in this case, as an event that regularly takes place - there are three possibilities for its future: 1) to stay as it is, being an accentuated repetition from year to year, no longer being a "tradition" and becoming a recreation of the existing tradition; 2) to finish, as it has already happened twice in the last 40 years; 3) to follow the development of the city and the world, having, of course, as a basis the elements that characterise this celebration, other events and traditions. Personally, and because I believe that tradition can only continue to be tradition if it does not stagnate, I hope that there will be a development in the coming years.

       In 2020 I had the opportunity to participate in the “Queima do Home” and I picked up a few points from that night. First, I was happy that I was able to make a connection between the piece I wrote in 2017 and what happens in the tradition. Although I didn't change the process of composing the piece I'm presenting today - because the piece had already been written - I was glad to feel that, overall, the identity of the event was present in "home(m)". And secondly, it made me eager to write another piece influenced by this event.

       As was said in this presentation, there have been changes in the tradition over the years - as there are and should always be. One of the latest changes was the creation of a "reading of the will", which takes place in the middle of the event. Here a text is read, invoking the dead "man" and what he will give to the people of the town or of the parish (or of the Rusga, the event organiser). In a next piece, I would like to use this idea of reading a will and look for other ways of sounding the flames (or burning the man), as well as looking for another way to demonstrate the movement of people throughout the carnival parade.

       For now, the idea I have been developing for the creation of a new piece is to use short movements - instead of one continuous piece -, using different scenes: a) the " organisation" of the procession and departure. b) initial route; c) the testament; d) return to the place where the procession left: e) burning of the “man”.

       The piece begins in dynamics between piano and pianississimo, although it has attacks in forte, in an attempt to represent the coming from “far away” of the groups. As the piece progresses, there is a growth in dynamics, representing the gathering of the groups and a greater “clatter”.

       Although, in general, the tension of the piece gradually increases until reaching the climax, there is in B (c. 56-78) a preview of the man burning. The climax of the piece happens, metaphorically, when the “man” is set on fire, as we can see in the tension graph above, where I use stronger dynamics (beginning of E, c. 215 - I use ff). From there, until bar 241 there is a transition, until we begin to hear the man “on fire” (c. 242). Until the end, the “burning man” is heard, until it fades out.

Different groups:

       Although there is almost always a unity between (examples: bar 1-3):

1.     violin 1 and violoncello;

2.     violin 2 and viola;

3.     piano (alone): 

Introduction

       The piece "home(m)" was written under the influence of “Queima do Home”. It was written after an invitation by Matthias Coppens of the deCompagnie ensemble for "Mirrors", a project by 'The New What Now' in collaboration with the ensemble. From this came the collaboration with visual artist Inge van den Kroonenberg.

Explanation of the title

       The name of this piece is a reference to the event that inspired me to create it: “homem”, in english, man, or, as many people in the north of Portugal still say: “home”. However, the title also has another meaning: the English word “home”, house.

       It is a tribute to my "home", my hometown. But it is not only that. I don't see "home" as a "physical place", but as a mobile necessity. My "home", besides being the place where I live, is where I feel comfortable. Home is a personal, artistic space that is shaped in our memory over time. And this works as much for me, Carlos Brito Dias, as a person, as an artist. The name of the piece also comes from that: from the need to find a "home" of my own, using my roots as a starting point for my journey, returning to "home" - a new home, whatever that may be - whenever I need to. “Home” is not a “physical place but a mobile need; wherever one is, home is always to be found somewhere else”[1].

       The collaboration with Inge van den Kroonenberg essentially went that way. We wrote at the time that (text of the collaboration) “Our creation process was based on the themes home, hometown and 'homem' which means 'man' in Portuguese. Besides a physical location (a) home represents a personal space that is shaped in our memory through time. It serves as a point of departure but also as a point of return, although these two do not necessarily have to be the same. Coming both from different geographical, social and historical backgrounds, we decided that it would be most interesting to make our works ‘clash’ instead of working in a complementary way. By exchanging stories, sketches and impressions the outlines of our collaboration emerged spontaneously. We like to think of the final result as an opportunity to react and reflect on each other's works. Leaving room for interpretation”.

       In the last years, this piece was performed without the visuals created by Inge van den Kroonenberg, as I realised that, although the piece started as a collaborative project, the music can represent the “Queima do home” by itself.

Instrumentation

       The first version of the piece was written for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano. In 2021, I created a version for string quartet and piano, for timbric reasons. My idea was to recreate different ways for people to interact in the event - as I will explain later.

How did the writing of the piece begin?

       The composition process was very interesting for me. I only knew this tradition from Braga through what my mother told me, when she was part of the Rusga de S. Vicente. I searched for existing information about this tradition, having only found references in the book by José Alberto Sardinha and in some online publications. Besides that, the only time I had ever watched this event was online, through transmission via Facebook (things of modern times :) The new forms of presence).

       Thus, the initial composition process was the result of a lot of research on traditional elements of the event, which were later reused and "adopted"/"adapted" into "home(m)" - as I will demonstrate below.

What are the influences of the event?

Form:

       The form of this piece is influenced by the route that today’s "Queima do Home" parade goes through. This route works as a formal inspiration for the piece, but not as a musical result since my aim is not to make an exact portrait of the path through which this parade runs, but to create an artistic work with its influence. Thus, I intended to transport the existing route to the imaginary. The idea is not that this piece is a guided tour (or a route map) of tradition. I am influenced by tradition, starting from it, but the “musical history” has more value than a possible cataloguing of facts in a piece. In any case, I think it is possible to find in this “journey” points in common - or similar - with the route of the carnival procession.

       Initially, I planned three possible endings for the piece:

       1) to represent the ancient tradition, trying to portray in music the image of the "man" being thrown into the water at the end of the route;

       2) to represent the final conviviality of the event: using other musical elements of the traditional Minho music, representing songs interpreted by Rusga de S. Vicente and the conversations between the participants;

       3) to represent the "man" on fire, in the churchyard as it happens nowadays at the end of the route. I chose this third option for reasons of treatment of musical and artistic material.

The sound of the people: the use of the text

       As previously mentioned, in this event we heard, besides the vocal lament "Ai!", the following expressions:  “Olha o home!; - Lá vai o home!; Ai o meu rico home!”.

       I chose to use these sentences in the piece, spoken by the musicians, having musically worked the text in four different ways:

1) The complete sentence, rhythmically written (see piano part):

To better understand the elements of Braga's "Queima do home," read this section.

     This was one of the reasons that led me to create this version for string quartets and piano: in this way, and although melodically and rhythmically the instruments are integral parts of small “groups”, the timbric game can be even more interesting due to the timbrical similarity of string instruments.

Rhythms:

       The different rhythms used - quintuplets vs 4 semiquavers vs triplets - performed the function of demonstrating the irregular way in which people participate in this procession.

       I also used different time signatures, 5/8 and 3/16, in order to:

       1) demonstrate changes of pace and directions of people - running, walking, etc;

       2) create "rhythmic irregularities".

These two ideas can be seen from bar 6 to bar 11, for example:

Part 1

Part 1

The use of elements

of Braga’s Holy Week

in “do lume que pesa”

The use of elements

of Braga’s Holy Week

in “do lume que pesa”

Part 2

Part 2

Autognosis

Autognosis

Conclusion

Conclusion

The use of traditional elements in new music

The use of traditional elements in new music

“S. João de Braga”

as inspiration for new pieces

“S. João de Braga”

as inspiration for new pieces

Bibliography

Bibliography