Ways of instrumentation in sound composition

Within the experimental compositional music, the sampler and other electronic instruments have in the last 10-20 years seriously begun to perform on par with the classical acoustic instruments. What does this mean for the composers’ ways of instrumentation? This artistic research project examines 21st-century works, uncovering new instrumentation methods, and generally contributes to an understanding of instrumentation in 21st-century compositional music.

In particular, the project examines the strategies and methods used by composers when (1) the acoustic instruments should sound like real-life sounds or when (2) the acoustic instruments must be combined with the playing of field recordings. Inspired by the results of his studies, Lasse Laursen has worked to implement a number of the methods in his own artistic practice. For example, in his instrumentation of Parmegiani’s electro-acoustic work “Incidences / Resonances” (1975), in which electronic music is orchestrated for acoustic instruments. Two different versions of the instrumentation were performed by Aarhus Sinfonietta as part of Lasse Laursen’s concert lecture on March 7, 2017. Video recordings and slides from the lecture / concert can be found here.

The results of Lasse Laursen’s project have been published in an article about Simon Steen-Andersen’s piece “Double Up” (2010) and in a dissemination article on instrumentation of sound recordings.

All project results are documented at: http://orchestration.dk/