Michel van der Aa / Works / 

Second Self

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Second Self could be described as an internal conflict. A live orchestra, a solo string quartet and taped samples of the orchestra are the ‘characters’ and in their interactions and confrontations we see the trajectory of the piece.

A string quartet detaches itself from the orchestra. It emerges as an alter ego, another version of the orchestra itself. These four players challenge and prod the orchestra. As the balance of power shifts, so does the surrounding aural landscape

The musicians are joined by an invisible partner, a soundtrack that enters into a dialogue with them. The soundtrack is profoundly fused to the music as an extension of the sound itself, as though it were an additional instrument.

In the end, the string quartet answers the orchestra with sampled excerpts of musical material and in doing so eventually obliges the orchestra to become a mime artist. The orchestral musicians continue playing, but their sound has been robbed by their alter ego.

Reviews

Sophisticated shadow plays

— Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Perfect and emotionally balanced

“Emotion and superior technique exactly form the grandiose combination that rules in Van der Aa’s composing…virtuosic use of electronics…a work full of fantasy that always sounds apparent and striking but also always surprises.”
— Telegraaf

Fresh music

“Fresh music that carefully balances the electronic and acoustically produced sounds.”
— Trouw

One of the highlights of the Netherlands Music Days

— De Volkskrant

Michel van der Aa, what a talent!

— Parool

Einen spannenden inneren Konflikt

“Das SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg unter der einfühlsamen Leitung von Roland Kluttig eröffnete die Donaueschinger Musiktage mit mehreren Uraufführungen. In der gut besuchten Donauhalle erklang zunächst Second self für Orchester und Soundtrack (2004) von Michel van der Aa. Sein hochexpressives Werk Second self beschreibt einen spannenden inneren Konflikt. Zeit-Ticker und extreme rhythmische Verdichtungen begleiten hier einfühlsame Cantus-firmus-Sequenzen und virtuose Pizzicato-Einlagen. Cluster-Bildungen erscheinen in mehreren Schichten übereinander. Ein Live-Orchester, ein Solo-Streichquartett und aufgenommene Samples des Orchesters sind hier die höchst virtuosen ‘Darsteller’. Roland Kluttig arbeitete Interaktion und vibrierende Konfrontation dieser innerlich glühenden Partitur sehr konsequent heraus, immer wieder kippte die Hör-Landschaft machtvoll um. Die Musiker wurden gleichsam sehr geheimnisvoll von einem unsichtbaren Partner begleitet. Das Streichquartett antwortete mit stichprobenartigen Ausschnitten des musikalischen Materials. Dynamische Kontraste stachen reizvoll hervor.”
— Alexander Walther, Das Orchester 1/2005

Instrumentation

for orchestra and soundtrack
2004

1 clarinet (in E-flat)
1 clarinet (in B-flat)
1 bass clarinet/ clarinet (in B-flat)

2 horns (in F)
2 trumpets (in C)
2 tenor trombones
1 bass trombone
1 tuba

2 percussion players

Strings (12, 12, 10, 8, 6)

Soundtrack (1 player)
(doubleA player software, from laptop)

Details

Duration

15′

First performance

14 October 2004
Donaueschingen Musiktage, Donaueschingen, Germany

Commissioned by

Donaueschingen Musiktage, Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst

Publisher

Boosey & Hawkes

Performances

Last performance


11 March 2016

Second Self

Orchestre du CNSMD de Lyon, cond. Peter-André Valade
Nora Fischer, mezzo-soprano

8pm, Théâtre de Villefranche, Lyon, France

All performances of Second Self

News

25 August 2009

Performances at the Netherlands Music Days

Joe Bendavid in Passage Two works of Michel van der Aa were performed during this years Netherlands Music Days. On 10 December Second Self received its Dutch premiere in Utrecht from the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra under Ed Spanjaard. Van der Aa’s fascination with creating sonic doubles is ...

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24 August 2009

“Second Self” at Melbourne festival

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will perform Van der Aa’s orchestral work Second Self as part of the commemoration of 400 years of bilateral relations between Australia and the Netherlands. The concert will take place on May 15 during the Metropolis Festival in M...

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Listen

SWR orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg,
cond. Roland Kluttig