Polysystemism - Alessio Elia

Polysystemism

Polysystemism is a compositional technique created by Alessio Elia. It involves the simultaneous use of different tuning systems in order to integrate the physical-acoustic phenomenon within the musical texture and consider music itself as sensation.
In the composer's intention, music must be written primarily to be listened to, making Berkeley’s expression his own, according to which “being is being perceived”.
At the present time Polysystemism employs 8 different tuning systemism: 12-ET, 24-ET, Pythagorean tuning, meantone (quarter-comma), just intonation, Werckmeister I, II and IV.

This page brings together various materials, from articles on Polysystemism to musical pieces that use it.


ARTICLES WRITTEN BY THE COMPOSER

Polysystemism: A Tool for Shaping Music by Relation to Acoustic Phenomena

An introduction to Polysystemism

Živá hudba 2020/11 - University of Prague

Click here to download it

---

Polysystemism and extra dimensions: my approach to composition

and a multidimensional way to shape sound in relation to the music

of Bartók, Ligeti and quantum physics

MMA - Magyar Művészeti Akadémia 2014 (Published in 2017)

Hungarian Academy of Arts

---

Polysystemism: a simultaneous employment of different tuning

systems derived from contemporary physics and aural perception of related

phenomena

von Bockel Verlag 2017

Published in "Just in Tone and Time" - Assoziationen an Manfred Stahnke – eine Festschrift.

Edited by Benjamin Helmer and Georg Hajdu

von Bockel Verlag 2017

332 Pages, ISBN 978-3-95675-020-5

Purchase the book here or write to the publisher for ordering it:

bestellung@bockelverlag.de

---

Polysystemism: A simultaneous employment

of different tuning systems emerging from

String Theory, M-Theory and other

approaches to contemporary Physics.

Université de Strasbourg 2017

---

---

---

alessioelia · A. Elia - Beyond Perturbative States

Traces from Nowhere

(2017)

for: disklavier and ensemble [disklavier, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, violin con scord. and cello con scord.)

Tuning systems: 12-ET, 24-ET, Pythagorean tuning, meantone (quarter-comma), just intonation, Werckmeister I, II and IV

The piece employs the Polysystemism (12-ET, Werckmeister I,II, IV, JI, Pythagorean, Meantone) and it is written for the project "Human machine", elaborated together with the conductor Andreas Luca Beraldo.

Through a computer software the disklavier becomes a "human" member of the ensemble, being able to attack and keep time with the other members of the ensemble.

The project is sponsored by Yamaha, with the contribution of Pro Helvetia.

Duration: 7'

Commissioned by Impronta Ensemble and Oggimusica Festival Lugano

Première: 16 February 2017. Festival "Oggimusica". LAC - New Auditorium - Lugano (Switzerland)

Impronta Ensemble

Andreas Luca Beraldo, conductor

Luminescences

(2005)

for ensemble : violin con scordatura, viola con scordatura, cello con scordatura, clarinet and percussion

Tuning systems: 12-ET, Pythagorean tuning, just intonation

Merit Prize "Chigiana" Academy of Music 2005

Duration: 6'

Première: 6 August 2005. "Chigi Saracini" Palace – "Chigiana" Academy of Music. Siena

"Chigiana" Academy of Music Ensemble

Duccio Ceccanti, violin

Sabrina Giuliani, viola

Vittorio Ceccanti, cello

Marco Ortolani, clarinet

Maurizio Ben Omar, percussions

Mauro Bonifacio, conductor

German Première: 5 February 2014. Kammermusiksaal - Musik Hochschule Mannheim.

Within the Sixth Portrait Concert.

Impronta ensemble.

Andreas Luca Beraldo, conductor.

Hungarian Première: 15 December 2016. Sala Verdi of the Italian Institute of Culture - Budapest.

Within the "Tenth Portrait Concert- Ten years of musical activity in Hungary" dedicated to Elia's works.

Organizer: Italian Institute of Culture - Budapest

Mikola Roman, violin

János Fejérvári, viola

Gyöngyi Ujházi, cello

Gábor Varga, clarinet

Zoltán Varga, percussion

Andreas Luca Beraldo, conductor

UNIVERSAL EDITION - Click here to purchase the score

Incantesimi di Merseburg

(2019)

for: 16-part soloist mixed chorus (SATB)

Tuning systems: 12-ET, Pythagorean tuning, meantone (quarter-comma), just intonation, Werckmeister I, II and IV

Text: the two Enchantments of Merseburg (Old German)

Duration: 14'

Première: 21 February 2020. Gesellschaft für Neue Musik Mannheim.

Kammerchor Stuttgart. Frieder Bernius, conductor

Commission of Kammerchor Stuttgart

Caducae resonantiae

(2020)

for: guitar with scordatura

Tuning systemism: 12-ET, Pythagorean tuning, meantone (quarter-comma), just intonation

Duration: 3'

Written for Katalin Koltai for the Bloomsday in Budapest 2021

Première: 6 February 2022 - The Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin. Within Ulysses Journey 2022. Katalin Koltai, guitar.

UNIVERSAL EDITION - click here to purchase the score

---

Implicate Inklings

Clarinet Concerto

(2018-19)

for: solo clarinet and large orchestra

Tuning systems: 12-ET, 24-ET, Pythagorean tuning, meantone (quarter-comma), just intonation

Duration: 25'

Written for Csaba Klenyán and Concerto Budapest Orchestra conducted by Zoltán Rácz.

With the support of NKA - Nemzeti Kulturális Alap (Hungarian National Cultural Fund)

Premiére: 4 May 2019. Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy, Budapest

Csaba Klenyán, solo clarinet

Concerto Budapest Orchestra

Zoltán Rácz, conductor