Anchor
In Dans les arbres we often have anchors – short percussive sound objects that appear to be some kind of central anchor points that everything else relates to and circles around.
Anchors connect. With an established anchor I can throw out other ideas, almost any idea, and the anchor will make sure it relates. It will maintain a necessary balance between centre and periphery. The weight in Calder’s mobile, or perhaps the post, are examples of anchors.
Usage
1. The piece ”La Visée” is an out take from Dans les arbres' release Canopée from 2012. I find that this c# bell in the percussion is a centre in the piece.
The pitch, the attack, the duration, the abrupt rhythmic feel, even the texture of this bell feeds the other ideas and elements. This anchor is important for me while I play. It gives me something to relate to, something to play with and against, something to play towards and from. I can push one idea, see how far from centre I can go. Off balance. Go back to centre, do something else, push another idea, far from centre, close to centre.
The banjo arpeggios pick up the anchor’s pitch at times, while moving away from it other times. They take part in a collective arpeggio with piano, clarinet and percussion. (01:56)