At first, I searched for information on the circumstances in which Louis Andriessen’s specific composition was created. As it has quickly turned out, however, I’m not so much interested in these circumstances any more. I have realized that this piece is a presentiment but also a goodbye. A farewell to the spirit of community. The community which – despite delicate disharmony (microtones) and dissonances – holds together until the end. Andriessen’s piece stands out against 20th-century compositions for recorder: it’s an almost unceasing unison of two instruments; the melody is almost stretched into ambient, although it’s never fully transparent, it never loses its narrative qualities. We will not find in it widely exploited extended techniques. Instead, there ism continuum and absolute simplicity.

This is why I wrote Melodie’s alter ego – Harmonie. I wanted to show that harmony, which we still need, has become impossible. And that perfect harmonization is a great effort and a great goal which is in fact impracticable. The planned split sounds unison of the recorder and the piano in reality rattles with microtone shifts; the desired unity is implemented in the form which is unbearable in terms of sound, wearying and exceptionally mechanical. The ending of the piece, however, brings some relief. The musicians are left with the remains of the musical language reduced to a few signals – in fact, they may co-function in the short, rhythmically improvised episode ad libitum. This “true” harmony – in contrary to artificial identicalness – is possible through loosening of the rules and synchronicity. In the conditions of ambiguity and controlled, acceptable freedom.

Dominik Strycharski