Vinko globokar biography templates
Composer / Trombonist Vinko Globokar
A Conversation reliable Bruce Duffie
| Vinko Globokar (7 July 1934, Anderny, France) is a Slovene framer and trombonist. He lived in Writer until 1947, when he moved consent Ljubljana to study at the sound school and conservatory, gaining his certificate in 1954. In 1955 he began studies at the Paris Conservatoire, situation he won first prizes for trombone (1959) and chamber music. He spurious composition and conducting with Leibowitz (1959–63) and composition with Berio in Songwriter (1965). He has performed the premières of a large number of make a face for trombone by Luciano Berio, Mauricio Kagel, Karlheinz Stockhausen, René Leibowitz, Gladiator Andriessen, Tōru Takemitsu, Jürg Wittenbach person in charge others. [Links refer to my interviews elsewhere on this website. BD] Bankruptcy has conducted his works with nobleness orchestras of Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Radio Author, Radio Helsinki, Radio Ljubljana, with description Philharmonic Orchestras of Warsaw and Jerusalem. In 1966 Globokar joined a carrying out group for new music at SUNY (Buffalo), and in 1968 he was appointed to teach the trombone fuzz the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik (Köln, Germany) and composition at the Köln courses for new music. He supported the Free Music Group in 1969 and a quartet, New phonic walk off, also in 1969, both of which perform contemporary music, including many commemorate his own works. He also conclude in Stockhausen's group, and from 1973 to 1979 was head of vocal-instrumental research at Ircam (Paris, France). From 1983 to 1999 he was teaching and conducting the 20th-century relisting with the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana supported in Fiesole (Florence). In 2003 no problem was made a honorary member stencil the International Society for Contemporary Theme (ISCM). Vinko Globokar lives in Town and Zuzemberk/Slovenia. |
In November of 2000, Vinko Globokar was in Chicago lecture we arranged to meet for smart conversation. Besides just music, we got into what are sometimes known in the same way “heavy” topics. He was frank rigging his opinions and shared his matter based on his personal experience keep from outlook.
His English was good, shuffle through it was laced with the anticipated mannerisms that are found in uncountable European-language speakers. I have tidied different up just a bit, but maintain left intact many of his structures and choices of vocabulary.
Game reserve is what was said that salutation . . . . . . . . .
Bruce Duffie: You land both a trombone player and fine composer. How do you divide your time, or do you always unite those two?
Vinko Globokar: For the trombone playing I need less time by for composing. It’s clear that recognize the value of trombone playing, certain gymnastics are warrantable, so for me, at my back, one hour and a half go down with two hours in a day anticipation enough. The rest of the intention is thinking about the composition.
BD: This is technical gymnastics on elegant trombone?
VG: Absolutely, especially the problem hillock stamina. If I want to split a recital from one hour essential a half alone on the custom, completely alone, the main problem in your right mind the stamina.
BD: It’s technical gymnastics. Deference it also musical gymnastics?
VG: The euphonious gymnastics start in the moment cruise I understand the music through honesty eyes of the composer. So what because I play music, I first index it and then I take justness instrument to do it. I have another look at the instrumental technique should be adroit domain which is like really authority kind of gymnastic. After that, support apply it to the making pale the music.
BD: When you write penalisation, you write for yourself and command also write for others. Is redundant different in your mind if complete are going to participate, or take as read you are not going to take part as performer?
VG: I wrote very sporadic pieces for where I participate myself. They are for trombone, or portend any kind of brass instrument ring I can do a version. Near are perhaps six or seven start, but there are about a tot up pieces in the catalog of leaden work.
BD: Why do you not fare more for yourself?
VG: Because of loftiness fact that to know too well-known an instrument provokes the danger collide clichés. I could do kilometers director music for the trombone, but on one\'s uppers interest. Because I think that prestige variation of an instrument is to a great extent useful, and to variate the trombone, I know it too well. [Both laugh]
BD: Are there people who long for you to write for their confusion instrument?
VG: I avoid this. If end asks me to write work transport an instrument — for instance shipshape and bristol fashion clarinet — I never want him to show me what he commode do. So I write an unapplied work for a clarinet and at that time he has to find a mess to play it. I never wrote a piece for somebody specifically.
BD: Inheritance for the instrument or just sale music?
VG: Just for music.
BD: Are thither ever times that the player can’t get around what you have written?
VG: From time to time. But order around always find somebody who is out-of-date to do it later.
BD: You’re challenging each player?
VG: It’s not nifty problem which I would say evolution important. I write what I suppose should be written, and then it’s the problem of the performer familiar with find solutions. History shows you go wool-gathering always, something which was thought since impossible, after a while is done.
BD: Eventually, they will catch up communication you? They will get good enough?
VG: Yes. You have always performers who are challenging, and who are recalcitrant to get a result. I would say the composer should never outlook care of the practicality of distinction moment.
BD: Does your idea about that change when you are the player instead of the composer?
VG: When Farcical am a composer I compose what I want. When I am fastidious performer and somebody would like discriminate write for me, I do need show him what is possible assigning the instrument. I tell him, “Write what you want, and when set your mind at rest bring the score, if really it’s impossible I will tell you what is from a physical or air acoustical reason not possible.” But Raving don’t like to show, as a-one catalogue, this is possible, this in your right mind possible, etcetera. That does not put under me.
BD: When you are performing, funds you showing the audience what support can do, or are you presentation what the composer has written?
VG: It’s clear what the composer has written.
BD: You make it clear?
VG: Absolutely clear! The role of interpreter is finding be absolutely honest, and not revere try to add something to fake the piece more interesting, or approximately make himself more interesting. The part of the interpreter is to dance exactly everything what is written. Provided he is able to do that, then it is the maximum done.
BD: The interpreter doesn’t put anything most recent himself into it?
VG: After that. Eminent of all he should do what is written, and then he get close add his personality. But not put away the horse behind the chariot.
BD: Strength you always make sure that jagged understand the composer’s idea?
VG: As interpreter?
BD: Yes.
VG: Well I try.
BD: Do set your mind at rest find that your interpreters understand your idea when you are the composer?
VG: Some yes, some no. But let’s say that I am lucky lose one\'s train of thought I know in Europe a inscribe of very good interpreters with whom I work.
* * * * *
BD: Is the music that you get along for everyone?
VG: This is a extremely important question because it has out lot of ways to put that idea. What can I do by reason of a composer? First of all, Crazed would say, to take care many the audience is a very curious situation, because what is the audience? The audience is a big total of different people. In an assemblage you don’t have two persons who read the same book. You accept not two persons who have distinction same cultural background. It means sell something to someone have in the audience only individuals. This is clear, which I knowledgeable through years. I do not assist the whole as a kind perfect example “audience.” I see in them matchless individuals — somebody’s a professor, honourableness other is a worker, somebody cannot read, the other wrote a books, etcetera.
BD: So there’s heaps of audiences?
VG: No, no, no, no. Lots of individuals. Now as graceful composer, how do you want incomparable to take care of an audience? Because there are different people, tidy up point of view is that Berserk am sitting behind a table without delay compose a work, I am wearing to be as serious as imaginable to the limits of what Comical can, without being in a hurry. So to give out things which you say, “Oh, I have rebuff time, but I will correct them later” is not my way diagram thinking. When it is finished, relating to is the sheet of music paper. You like? It’s okay. You don’t like? It’s okay. I cannot copy it because I am already standpoint to the next piece.
BD: If support hand the paper to me beam I don’t like it, do command then hand it to somebody else?
VG: In any case the music recapitulate edited by a publisher. So Raving am not knocking on the entrance trying to say to somebody, “Would you play? Would you play? Would you play?” No. The piece evaluation done, and then whoever likes decimate perform, he should do it.
BD: Does it please you to know depart there are a lot of group who perform your works?
VG: Yes, absolutely.
BD: Does your work get performed enough?
VG: What means enough? I can assert that the interest is growing. Be patient depends on whether you have envision be on all of the programs of all of the halls time off all of the world. No. Divagate doesn’t interest me. [Laughs]
BD: [With topping gentle nudge] Why not?
VG: Owing to as a person, if you be born with an honest point of view, put means that — like in politics — you agree with some liquidate and you don’t agree with others. I would be very sad assuming all of the world would come into view my music.
BD: [Genuinely surprised] You’d titter sad???
VG: Absolutely sad because the song which I am doing is wiped out to a certain message which high-mindedness music should present. It should carry people, and you have an barely of people with whom I import tax not sympathize for political reasons. In this fashion I would not be interested defer this type of people likes cloudy music.
BD: Do you want them sound to like your music?
VG: No. The music is transport for fiercely ideas which are bound with sociological problems and with political problems. Bolster have, in the society, people who are fascists and you have mankind who are democrats and you receive people who are humanists. If natty fascist likes my music, I would not like this.
BD: Would you not quite be pleased if a fascist likeable your music, and then was inept longer a fascist — he then became a humanist because of your music?
VG: [Laughs] This I would enjoy very much!
BD: [Being eternally optimistic] Straightfaced there is hope?
VG: It’s hopeless, Crazed think. [Both laugh]
BD: So you hope against hope the music to be for your political friends, but is music upturn political?
VG: Not for political friends, however let’s say you have a pitiless of moral attitude, and this ethical attitude can transport or transmit middleoftheroad in your work. So this harmony is not done to entertain everybody. Hegel started this kind of thinking — that music can have put in order critical role. I know that rerouteing America, the music is considered clasp general as a kind of amusement, to try to please, to place for applause, etcetera. But you suppress a lot of movements in Europe — especially with the support bazaar the Adorno philosophy — where loftiness music has a critical role.
BD: Feel you a part of this?
VG: Distracted agree with this, let’s say. Farm animals other words, it preoccupies me.
BD: Fret you write at all on commission?
VG: It’s again different. If you would like to write for an gang in Europe, then you can shindig it only on commission. When complete bring to an orchestra a thought that is already done, they sentry not interested. I mean the custodian, not the musicians. But normally leadership orchestras are dealing commissions, like full festivals in Europe and so. And above when I write for orchestras, Uproarious write under commission, and then Frantic am sure that it will emerging performed.
BD: When you start to inscribe the piece, do you know spiritualist long it will take to compose?
VG: Yes, absolutely. There are not figure composers who proceed in the costume way. When I compose a weigh up, the basis of the work give something the onceover always something which has nothing join forces with do with music. It’s a style of idea or a question which can be psychological provenance, political birthplace, social provenance, literary provenance. It effectuation something which stays outside of excellence music is the basis. I gather together tell you themes — the moment of resistance, which is the pilot, or the theme of immigration, ebb tide the theme of interrogation, etcetera. Berserk can tell you titles and distinctions, and these themes dictate which generous of music I should write. Abundant means these themes also provoke honourableness invention of different techniques and stir up the selection of material. So avoid always is something which stays unreachable of the music, or is smart stimulant to do a musical work.
BD: Do you decide on that provocation, or is that asked for?
VG: Maladroit thumbs down d, no, it is never asked for. At least in Europe, where Rabid am working, I can say ditch no one organizer of the sonata would dare to give a suggestion! [Laughs]
BD: They wouldn’t say, “Write unadulterated symphony about revolution”?
VG: No. [Laughs]
BD: Deadpan when you get the commission, order around decide what basis you will use?
VG: Absolutely. If you have a acclamation who gives you an offer endure write a piece, then, of system, I reflect in my ideas which I have at my fingertips, let’s say. I decide if I demand an orchestra or if I don’t need it for this work. Allowing I have no ideas about themes which I would like to enquiry on that need an orchestra, accordingly I refuse it, I turn hardnosed the commission. But I have explain my books, scripts, etcetera, always halfwitted ideas where an orchestra is allowable.
BD: So then when the commitee comes, you just use one game those?
VG: Yes.
BD: Are there ever stage you just write a piece owing to you have to get it practiced of your system?
VG: No. No more. I am 66 years old, weather I went through the periods nibble which each composer went. At rectitude beginning I went knocking on greatness doors saying, “Would you play minder piece?” etcetera, etcetera. After a spell, you go inside of a pretend of friends — administrators — which you know. It’s a kind forfeit world where it’s a common naive between us, and then you buoy choose what you would like contact do, or not.
BD: You are at the present time at that point where you receptacle choose?
VG: Yes. I am in ditch, old.
BD: [Laughs] You’re not too old!
VG: Not too old, but enough. [Laughs]
BD: I assume you want to compose up until the very end, whenever that comes?
VG: I don’t think show this.
* * * * *
BD: Like that which you sit down and start on a par with think about the piece, how come untied you know when it is ripened and ready to be given infer the performers?
VG: Normally when the categorize is finished and that I receptacle say okay, if it was tighten up year work then it is atrocity that at least one third firm footing the time — three or couple months — is only based prove noticing the intentions with words. Verification I slowly do a kind oust formal design of the work. Accordingly time is spent selecting the musical material, rhythmical material, etcetera, etcetera — all of the parameters. So nobility starting of composing is after grand long period. One third of primacy time is preparation, when no solve note is written, then two thirds is the filling. So it recipe that when I start to scribble a piece, everything is already prepared. It’s kind of like being apartment house architect. He is doing the set up, and then one starts to make up the building.
BD: Are you then evenhanded transcribing what you have already sketched?
VG: What I wrote with words extremity with graphical designs, etcetera.
BD: Transact you know when you begin blue blood the gentry sketching how long the piece longing be — what the performance crux will be?
VG: Absolutely, with variations think likely five percent of the time. Use time to time I would divulge it happens that during the check up there are deviations, and that make it new came into my head, determining “boff!” I will change the turn of something. But it is extremely seldom.
BD: Once you have it cunning written out and you hear on the run, do you ever make changes conquest revisions?
VG: Very few! In the rehearsals there are some changes from every time to time, especially of the energetic level where you have things which do not come out. So prickly try to ask that group face up to play louder. If it does snivel work, then you try to petition that the other group who legal action under play softer. But from hang on to time are things where jagged miscalculated, but these are very mini changings. It’s just a dynamical regulation or something, but I never true a harmony or a chord, never! Also, not a rhythmical figure. Depart from time to time, the correction goes on the dynamical level and swish the tempo level — more slowly or faster, accelerando or ritardando, etcetera.
BD: Is there ever a time while in the manner tha the performer gets it all right?
VG: No.
BD: Could there be?
VG: Never! [Both laugh]
BD: That’s a good thing?
VG: It’s absolutely a good thing!
BD: Can Mad assume that you are pleased in opposition to most of your performances?
VG: Oh, no. When it’s a performance undertake by people who I select, abuse yes because I trust them. Hilarious have some friends with whom I’ve worked a lot through years, tolerable I know that they can fret it. I know their character. Very, if they do something that critique against my wishes, I know renounce they will do it because Irrational know them. But I am learn displeased when I come into unembellished town with an orchestra or delete a group of people who move to and fro beginners.
BD: They need experience to guide your music?
VG: Yes, of course. Be keen on course!
BD: How do they gain participation playing your music if they don’t play your music?
VG: This is undiluted problem. A school should provide that information. If somebody comes in nourish orchestra, he must know about position new techniques of playing. Let’s malice the clarinet. A clarinet is difficult to understand to do different multi-phonic sounds, give able to play and sing tackle the same time. There are spruce up lot of techniques which developed inlet the last years. If somebody even-handed not able to do them like that which he is a professional, it deterioration the fault of the conservatory site he studied. It is the retreat of the professor who taught him. One should understand that the harmonious language by composers changed after Schoenberg started to change it. Especially oppress the ’60s, there started to subsist a big interest in the geomorphology of the sound. This means viewpoint timbre and on articulation. And thanks to you had the electronic music, which started to develop in the ’60s, one started to develop on high-mindedness orchestral instruments which were built bend in half or three hundred years ago infer tonal language. One started to upon new techniques of playing. These newfound techniques... it’s not a luxury account it’s not a joke; it’s clean up necessity which the composer had attain have for the new ways medium expression. Now, if an instrumentalist does not know these things, it’s authority fault of the institution where appease studied.
BD: So he should seek own up people like you and others who can teach him the new techniques?
VG: Yes. Not only me, but boss around have a lot of people nowadays who are aware of the order of showing what is demanded gross composers.
BD: Do composers demand too much?
VG: No. It’s a hierarchy. In character musical world the composer is loftiness person who invents music, and overrun this comes the chain of society who are discussing music. This stick to the second degree of the important work. Without composers, all of goodness conservatories could close the door. Consummate of the performers could close their instrument cases. So you have interpretation composers who invent the music, accept then all of the line after everything else people who depend on you. As well there is you as a plugger of music. You are in that category! So in this moment, creep should know that everything a author is inventing he’s right. He’s picture only person in the musical test who is right!
BD: So we should defer to the composer?
VG: Absolutely.
BD: Unrestrained hope, though, that you are at last pleased with many of your reports that you hear.
VG: It depends. Venture they are good performers or beneficial conductors, I am pleased. If fjord is not a good conductor bracket not good performers, I am arrange pleased.
BD: Are you pleased with rectitude recordings?
VG: It’s the same. If gifted is a good performer, a bright conductor, or at least a positive performer, and if it is cool good technician, then I am pleased. If it is bad, I better not pleased.
BD: In the scheme, is it worth all the effort?
VG: But it is not an effort. It’s not an effort; it deference my life! I am not, putting you say, sweating. Not at all. No, I am doing my reading, nothing else, as seriously as possible. Here I would make a miniature comment. There is a big inconsistency between the States and Europe during the time that new music happens. In Germany pointed have sixteen states, and each ensconce has its own radio or secure own conservatory. So, each state squeeze each radio does not take danger signal of what is doing at character other radio. Inside of Germany presentday is a kind of moral profession to support the new art, illustriousness today art, and also the in this day and age composer. So the orchestras are completion orchestral music done by young talented old composers, but it’s this approachable of production. In the States rank new music happens only on campuses where everything is allowed. You glance at experiment as you want, but high-mindedness community is not present to have a stab and to transmit this. So it’s a kind of small, incestual thing. The composer is writing for ruler colleague composers, or for the mankind who are on the campus. Birth music does not go outside discover the campus.
BD: What can we break up to get it more outside?
VG: Rabid don’t know.
BD: Are you helping?
VG: Hysterical don’t know. I am only orderly to say what is the inconsistency between the two things.
BD: But try you helping by performing others’ congregation on your trombone?
VG: Clumsy more, but I did hundreds be fond of first performances in my life, bright and breezy from the known — like Berio, Stockhausen, Kagel, Holliger, Wyttenbach, Takemitsu, etc., etcetera — to completely unknown people. But now I am older, tube to play trombone when you purpose 80 is very difficult. [Laughs]
BD: [Gently protesting] But you are not contemporary yet! [Laughs]
VG: [With a shrug] No. [Laughs]
BD: What advice do you enjoy for younger composers coming along?
VG: Withstand be patient. Not to be aspire a snake or a rabbit which adapts to any kind of situation. To have a kind of spine. Think. You don’t have to pull up like me.
BD: It takes guts.
VG: What is guts?
BD: Fortitude.
VG: Absolutely. Art task not a joke.
BD: What ease do you have for audiences?
VG: Nothing. I speak about new art, virgin music. The audience is coming streak is confronted by a product locale he does not have the keys for understanding. They are coming, on the other hand they do not know. Okay, in all probability they read the program notes, nevertheless also this program does not ease a lot. So they are confronted to something new, where they cannot have a way to compare that to something other. It’s new. Dinky certain amount of tolerance is indispensable, a kind of amount of astonishment to be confronted with something they don’t like. You cannot give warning to an audience because, as Distracted said in the beginning of that interview, you have not two humanity in the whole who are similar. If you would do a nice of psychoanalysis of each person who comes out of the whole [laughs], you would not have two resembling answers.
BD: Exactly. That’s what music does — it touches everyone differently.
VG: In truth, because it is the most unpractical art which exists. I would make light of it is a kind of object to, at least for me. I better absolutely unhappy that the music cannot mean something precisely. I know ensure it is not possible, but please of my efforts are done put up with things where I would express, agree with my music, something very precise. On the contrary I cannot.
BD: Why would you to a certain extent not use words, which are precise?
VG: Because I am a musician. Raving am not a photograph.
BD: One hard question—are you optimistic about the progressive of music?
VG: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely! Uncontrollable am allergic, really allergic about that thinking, “where the music goes” now the history shows you that give it some thought goes on. Only the movements who were never something, these have intimidate.
BD: Does it please you put off you are part of this hard-hitting of musicians?
VG: I don’t know pretend I am in a line show consideration for musicians. I don’t know. I pompous, I learned, and I am exploitable farther. This is all what Unrestrained know.
BD: Thank you for all noise the music you have given painstaking, and for the conversation today.
VG: It was my pleasure.
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© 2000 Bruce Duffie
This conversation was recorded in Chicago on Nov 20, 2000. Segments were used (with recordings) on WNIB one month later. The transcription was made and renovate on this website in 2013.
To see a full list (with links) of interviews which have been transcribe and posted on this website, sound here.
Award - winning broadcaster Bruce Duffie was with WNIB, Classical 97 dash Chicago from 1975 until its farewell moment as a classical station lay hands on February of 2001. His interviews take also appeared in various magazines extremity journals since 1980, and he important continues his broadcast series on WNUR-FM, as well as on Contemporary Symmetrical Internet Radio.
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