Palimpsest I
A palimpsest is a script or parchment where writing has been erased to make room for new text. A new idea supplants an old, but sediments of the past seep in. Working with a choir of eight singers, in multiple recording sessions, this piece acts as sonic palimpsest - reworking Renaissance choral music through multiple iterations to create an eight speaker installation. The work speaks to notions of inheritance, ownership and indebtedness in music, culture and the arts, as it weaves historical motifs through the de-construction and re-composition of traditional choral pieces.
How it works
The piece may take a couple minutes to load.
The Start button below will turn opaque once ready.
Press play ( ► ) to begin the piece.
Use your mouse to explore all 8 channels of the work by moving the cursor around the screen.
Each of the 8 lines in the circle represents one channel.
The closer or further your cursor is to a channel, the louder or quieter that channel will be.
How it works
Press play ( ► ) to begin the piece.
The Start button below will turn opaque once ready.
Acknowledgements
Palimpsest I was conceptualized, arranged and produced by Ben Globerman, and was completed in collaboration with the Ottawa Choral Society and the Fieldown Singers.
This project would not be possible without the generous support of: the City of Ottawa, Arts Funding program; and, the Canada Council for the Arts, Research and Creation and Digital Originals programs.
About the Artists
Ben Globerman
www.bengloberman.caBen is a musician, sound designer, and multimedia artist. He has composed works for film, theatre, and specializes in developing multi-channel audio installations - working on projects for hospitals, fashion shows, and public transit. He has produced multiple conceptually driven audio and video installations in three, five, and eight speaker arrangements. Ben’s work uses sound to manipulate physical spaces creating engaging and kinetic experiences for audiences. His works have been shown in City Halls and private galleries alike, and his installations have tackled themes of religious pluralism, bleeding-edge technology, and the therapeutic qualities of sound. Under his Cabaal and eponymous monikers, he has performed throughout North America, and released six LP/EPs. Ben holds an MA in European Studies (Carleton University) with a focus on international migration, and a BA in Religious Studies (Carleton University), and is a graduate from the Red Bull Music Academy (New York, USA).
Ottawa Choral Society
www.ottawachoralsociety.comSince its inaugural concert in 1941, the Ottawa Choral Society has evolved into one of Canada’s most ambitious and accomplished large choruses. With more than one hundred and twenty auditioned voices, the Society presents a rich tapestry of sacred and secular masterpieces. We focus on choral excellence, and challenging, innovative programming. You will experience the thrill of preparing and performing choral masterworks with our outstanding artistic team led by McGill University choral pedagogue and OCS music director Jean-Sébastien Vallée, world-class concert artists, distinguished National Arts Centre Orchestra conductors, and Ottawa’s leading instrumentalists.
Fieldown Singers
Normand Glaude and Elise Letourneau make up this talented and versatile studio vocal team. Their work together includes choral recordings, back-up vocals, and contract work for composers and sound designers. Encompassing jazz, rock-pop, and classical genres, they are equally at home singing from scores or improvising harmonies and textures. Normand Glaude owns and operates the Morning Anthem recording studio www.morninganthem.ca. A background in electrical engineering coupled with consummate musicianship and one of the most discerning pairs of ears around make him a well-respected and highly sought-after audio professional. He has been in-demand on the Ottawa music scene for more than 25 years, both in live performance and as a studio musician. An associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre and a Berklee College of Music graduate, Elise Letourneau has won multiple choral composition awards and her pieces have been performed throughout Canada and the USA, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. She directs a women’s choir, performs in a Steely Dan tribute band, and has worked as a staff vocalist for an audio marketing production company. Norm and Elise are based in the Ottawa ON area. Their CD, The Fieldown Sessions, is available at www.eliseletourneau.com
Palimpsest website designed and created by Nick Fellion
