SOLO IV (THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST) for oboe and electronic device

SOLO IV is a piece composed by three sections, three études each one developing a aspect of the instrumental technique of the oboe and with a precise stylistic connotation.

This work is the result of the collaboration with Ernest Rombout with whom I had the opportunity to deepen my knowledge of the oboe and experiment interesting solutions through a ‘trial&error’ process that led me to the choice of the materials I used in the composition.

More precisely we worked on specific multiphonics, different emission and embouchure techniques, alternative uses of the reed, etc.

The electronics has an important role and is conceived as an alter ego of the acoustic instrument: the dialogue between the real oboe and the virtual one happens through the timbrical complementarity and the fusion into one unique ‘meta-instrument‘ in which the continuous cross references from one to the other create the structural elements where its form articulates.

For the première the reproduction system of the electronics used was a mono device widely used (the Bose Soundtouch 20 specifically), conceived as a alternative sound source but with projection characteristics the more similar to those of the acoustic one.

SOLO IV was composed and is dedicated to Ernest Rombout for the Impuls Festival 2017 in Graz.

photo © Stefano Pierini