VOID (SUNYATA)

for music theatre



 

VOID/SUNYATA was commissioned by Muziektheater Transparant in 2006-2007. Wim Henderickx also conducted this production. 

The work for 5 singers, instrumental ensemble & electronics was performed on several international stages (in Zürich, Antwerp, Stavanger, Zwolle, Bruges and Rotterdam) between 2007 and 2009.

The score is the 4th part in Wim Henderickx’s TANTRIC CYCLE, a series of compositions with Eastern music & philosophy as a source of inspiration.

The structural thread for this work is the Buddhist Shri Yantra, an abstract geometrical figure, serving as a guide for meditation and development of consciousness.

Wim Henderickx was fascinated by the concept of emptiness (sunyata) after trips to the Far East.
There is no story and the words are meaningless. This was also the case in NADA BRAHMA (3rd part in the TANTRIC CYCLE) and in DISAPPEARING IN LIGHT (5th part in the cycle).

Each instrument (violin, cello, flute, clarinet and trombone) is linked to a specific voice.

For the development of this score Wim Henderickx collaborated intensely with his musical assistent Diederik Glorieux and with Jorrit Tamminga (live electronics).

The score consists of the following parts :

- PROLOGUE
1.  BINDU
2.  FEMALE TRIANGLE
3.  AKASHA
4.  MALE TRIANGLE
5.  AIR
6.  CIRCLE
7.  FIRE
8.  SQUARE
9.  WATER
10. LOTUS
11. EARTH
12. FINAL BINDU
- EPILOGUE

 




RECORDINGS

Listen 1

 (Fragment of the solo FIRE : Hans Gröning, baritone and Martijn Vink, cello)

Listen 2

 (Fragment of the solo EARTH : Lien Haegeman, mezzo and Shirly Laub, violin)

SCORE

notebutikken.no





INSTRUMENTATION / EXTRA INFORMATION

Part IV of the Tantric Cycle
for 5 singers, instrumental ensemble (5 musicians) and electronics
(+/- 75')
(imaginary text by Wim Henderickx)
Commissioned by Music Theatre Transparant
5 singers: soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 baritones and voice artist
instrumentation: fl, cl / tbn / vln, vcl / electronics

Avant-première: August 30, 2007 during the Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich
Première: October 19, 2007 deSingel, Antwerp (music@venture Festival)
Composition and cond.: Wim Henderickx
Musical assistent: Diederik Glorieux
Live electronics: Jorrit Tamminga
Sound recording: Lieven Muësen
Instrumental ensemble: Oxalys 
Direction: Wouter Van Looy
Visual concept: Hans Op de Beeck
Video: Gert Op de Beeck
Choreography: Vivian Cruz
Phil Minton, voice artist
Elise Caluwaerts, soprano
Lien Haegeman, mezzo
Olivier Berten, baritone
Hans Gröning, baritone







RETROSPECTRE