Gut Instincts: Old instruments meet new music

BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE

The sound of early music performed on modern instruments is not unfamiliar – but what happens when it’s the other way around?

Contemporary Australian composer Alice Chance and her trio Gut Instincts will this month premiere her new work for period instruments. The group features Meg Cohen (baroque violin), Liane Sadler (baroque flute), and Alice (viola da Gamba). Alice says she’s “fascinated by the different colours historical instruments produce”.

“But more importantly, I am fascinated by the musicians themselves. The time they spend working on phrasing, dynamics and technique that was appropriate to the time of a piece’s composition is incredibly refreshing in a world where new music is often treated so clinically and carefully.

“Their musicianship can bring anything to life, so hopefully my compositions aren’t exempt from that.”

Since breaking onto the scene in 2013 as part of Musica Viva’s lunchtime concert series, Gut Instincts has established itself as a talented ensemble dedicated to early music. The group has played at the Sydney Baroque Festival run by Meg and Liane, and received mentorship from musicians in the Ironwood chamber ensemble among others.

Ahead of her gigs with Gut Instincts – which also feature music from the Court of Versailles under ‘The Sun King’ Louis XIV including songs by Jean-Baptiste Lully and works by Marais, Couperin, Rameau – Alice talks us through her latest work.

Tell us about your new work, which will be premiered by Gut Instincts. What’s it all about?

My new work is not profoundly metaphorical or a complex fugue or anything. Truthfully, it is an experiment. After participating in Sydney Baroque Music Festival, I was so inspired by how much all the musicians could make of music that was relatively bare on the page. By that, I mean things like adding articulation, dynamics, beat hierarchy in a bar that would have otherwise just been straight quavers, etc.. I wondered if I could create something similar, more of a script to be workshopped by actors as opposed to an autocue for a news reader. I wanted the kind of rehearsal where players use their musicality to bring the music alive because 99 per cent of the time, they will know better than me how to play their instruments and what sounds good! As a result, my score is basically just notes and a few tempo indications. But don’t get me wrong, I have thought long, hard and agonisingly over these notes. It feels vulnerable but exciting to put them in the hands of the group.

What are the challenges when composing for period instruments?

I obviously keep factors like range and key in mind but truthfully, I haven’t felt at all limited by this palette. When we looked more closely at the piece all together, that’s when I would find out about changes that may need to be made and gleefully implement them as suggested by my learned colleagues. And, of course, composing for the gamba will always feel wonderful as I can try out anything immediately.

Did you decide to write the piece in an early music style, or is it contemporary in nature? If the latter, what’s this juxtaposition between contemporary music and period instruments sound like?

When I write for period instruments, it feels like this tightrope. Falling off one side would result in B-grade pastiche, and falling off the other would result in music that may as well have been written for modern instruments. All I can say is that my goal is to write music that is looking forward and looking back; respectful but offering something new. I’m not sure how successful this is or will ever be in my music but it’s my aim. In ‘La Descente’, I have focussed on descending figures, both melodically and harmonically, and things like sequences and canonic imitation but with a little ‘Chance’ flavour.

Was it necessary for you to consider Historically Informed Performance practices when composing?

After the Sydney Baroque Music Festival, I just felt so inspired every night going home that I think it flowed out quite naturally. It did not take me long to write this piece, most of it was already there. I wrote it the weekend after the festival, but had been thinking about it all week.

Who are some of your favourite early music composers?

Marais is a big one. My first gamba teacher, Jenny Eriksson, instilled an irrevocable love of Marais in me, as you might imagine. I also especially love Tobias Hume, Locke, Rameau, Bach and Fiorenza for their musicality and inventiveness.

Gut Instincts will perform at 7 Queens Ave Vaucluse at 7.30pm, January 7 and at the Flute Tree, 1/111 Moore St, Leichhardt at 7pm, January 9.

Image of Gut Instincts supplied.