No-res
Encyclopedia
No-res, a Symphonic Tragedy in Two Parts (Catalan
: Nothing, a Symphonic Tragedy in Two Parts), also known as No-res, an Agnostic Requiem (Catalan: Nothing, an Agnostic Requiem) is a composition for choir
, orchestra
, narrator
and magnetic tape
by Barcelonan composer Leonardo Balada
. This work was finished on 1974 and represents a soundscape in which the composer recreates the relationship between himself and his mother when the latter was dying, to whom the work is dedicated. The lyrics were written exclusively for this composition by French poet Jean Paris. This is one of the most relevant works from the avant-garde period of Balada.
This work was premiered on 1997 in Barcelona
by the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra, together with the Coro Nacional de España, and conducted by Lawrence Foster
.
In the first movement, the narrator describes death
, not only from its tragic side, but also from a metaphysical point of view. The text contains quotes by many authors around the world, in different languages, such as Catalan, Spanish
, French
, English
, and Italian
, with the purpose of stating that death is universal. At the very beginning of the first part, the composer uses the tape of a wolf howling, while the choir tries to imitate its sound. All along the first movement, the author creates a mixture between tonal fragments and atonal fragments, with the intention of representing death in its bleakest aspect, that is to say, death is unavoidable, and there is no hope for us to dodge it. Then he randomly plays sounds of smashing glass, trees swaying and other types of sounds made by animals. According to Balada: "un sinnúmero de animales contribuyen con sus ruidos innatos a la sensación de absurdidad que es el fatal curso de nuestra existencia" (a great numbers of animals contribute with their innate sounds to the sensation of absurdity that is the fatal course of our existence). Towards the end of the first part, everybody on the stage should remain still, which symbolizes the end in all of its dimensions.
The second part of this piece is entirely written by Paris in English, though it is indicated that the text should be translated to the native language of the place where this piece is going to be played. In general terms, the same techniques are used, although the temperament of this movement is much more defiant and bright. The composer tries to represent the everlasting struggle against the undeniable truth, as well as he questions the existence of God
or the fairness thereof.
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
: Nothing, a Symphonic Tragedy in Two Parts), also known as No-res, an Agnostic Requiem (Catalan: Nothing, an Agnostic Requiem) is a composition for choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
and magnetic tape
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...
by Barcelonan composer Leonardo Balada
Leonardo Balada
Leonardo Balada , is a Catalan American composer, now teaching and composing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Life:...
. This work was finished on 1974 and represents a soundscape in which the composer recreates the relationship between himself and his mother when the latter was dying, to whom the work is dedicated. The lyrics were written exclusively for this composition by French poet Jean Paris. This is one of the most relevant works from the avant-garde period of Balada.
This work was premiered on 1997 in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
by the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra, together with the Coro Nacional de España, and conducted by Lawrence Foster
Lawrence Foster
Lawrence Foster is an American conductor.He became the conductor of the San Francisco Ballet at the age of 18, and served as Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta...
.
Structure
This work is written in two parts, which represent the only two movements of this piece. A typical performance of this work should last for about 40 minutes.- Part I
- Part II
In the first movement, the narrator describes death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, not only from its tragic side, but also from a metaphysical point of view. The text contains quotes by many authors around the world, in different languages, such as Catalan, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, with the purpose of stating that death is universal. At the very beginning of the first part, the composer uses the tape of a wolf howling, while the choir tries to imitate its sound. All along the first movement, the author creates a mixture between tonal fragments and atonal fragments, with the intention of representing death in its bleakest aspect, that is to say, death is unavoidable, and there is no hope for us to dodge it. Then he randomly plays sounds of smashing glass, trees swaying and other types of sounds made by animals. According to Balada: "un sinnúmero de animales contribuyen con sus ruidos innatos a la sensación de absurdidad que es el fatal curso de nuestra existencia" (a great numbers of animals contribute with their innate sounds to the sensation of absurdity that is the fatal course of our existence). Towards the end of the first part, everybody on the stage should remain still, which symbolizes the end in all of its dimensions.
The second part of this piece is entirely written by Paris in English, though it is indicated that the text should be translated to the native language of the place where this piece is going to be played. In general terms, the same techniques are used, although the temperament of this movement is much more defiant and bright. The composer tries to represent the everlasting struggle against the undeniable truth, as well as he questions the existence of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
or the fairness thereof.