dec52 • one, two, three, four mixes of dec 52

DEC52’ offers a new version for the Earl Brown’s famous graphical score December 1952. The concept is driven by the current situation, of not being able to rehearse properly with the ensemble. Even though the internet offers possibilities to meet, there are always problems with timing, misunderstandings and, freezing. Therefore, DEC52’ tries to deal exactly with these peculiar online-particularities. 
It is 4 musicians, in their homes, with their sounds and their time. The only predetermined agreement is that the piece lasts in total 5min 20s and every player records his/her own version at their home. As there are 30 characters in total in the score, each recording consists of 30 sounds, and 4 people have 4 different interpretations of these 30 signs. Then the 4 versions, that are completely separated — conceptually, visually, musically — were mixed together and uploaded. 
As the playing as well as mixing can be relatively different, depending on the player’s perception, the 4 different versions of the same piece are presented here. Even though completely personal at the individual player’s perspective, the project deals with the impersonality that internet and network often represents. 
Virtual body, without having a physical one, makes also the players to play perhaps more freely or oppositely, more restricted. In following, this situation gets rather strange, as musicians have lost the one thing that really matters in making music together — listening to each other.

EMN:
Christoph Funabashi: 12 string acoustic guitar, fx 
Kris Kuldkepp: double bass 
Felix Mayer: trombone 
Heiner Metzger: bass clarinet 

Track one mixed by Heiner Metzger, 
Track two mixed by Felix Mayer, 
Track three mixed by Christoph Funabashi, 
Track four mixed by Kris Kuldkepp 


A project of the Online Musicking Call May / June 2020 of Verband für aktuelle Musik Hamburg. 
Funded by – Behörde für Kultur und Medien Hamburg. 
Further projects:  www.vamh.de/index.php?what=online&year=2020&month=06