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S.O.S.

Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano

S.O.S. was originally commissioned by Ensemble Onix and revised in collaboration with Ensamble Nuevo de México.

S.O.S. is a Morse code word meaning help, which originated from the fact that it is very easy to express in Morse code, as it is reduced to 3 dots, 3 dashes, and 3 dots. The dashes and dots can be interpreted rhythmically in different ways, either as short and long notes, as staccatos and tenutos, or as the absence and presence of accents.

In addition to the word S.O.S., I used synonyms for help in six different languages: Spanish, Italian, French, German, English and Portuguese. Assuming that any word can be interpreted as a number whose base is determined by the total amount of letters in the alphabet of that language, I elaborated conversion tables of these words to all bases between 2 and 16. These tables allowed me to assign notes to the rhythms extracted from the Morse code, reading the digits as the number of semitones with respect to a pedal tone, as well as the structure of the dynamic regions and the dodecaphonic sequence that determines the reference pedal tones.

S.O.S. is a distress call that works very well because it is very easy to identify on the radio or telegraph, which also makes it ideal as a musical theme, since it allows you to keep track of its presentation and development. This piece is not only intended to communicate an aesthetic message but can be interpreted from beginning to end, note by note, accent by accent, as a coded message, as a plea for help in six languages.

DISCOGRAPHY

BITÁCORA

2018
Enrico Chapela Barba
Urtext Digital Classics
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PERFORMANCES

Moores Opera House, Houston, Texas, USA. Aura Contemporary Ensemble.

Festival Internacional Cervantino, Nuevo Ensamble de México, Miguel Salmón del Real, conductor.

 

Compania Ensemble für Neue Musik, Städtische Bühnen, Kleines Haus, Münster, Germany.

 

Sala Blas Galindo, CNA, Mexico. Ensamble Nuevo de México, Miguel Salmón del Real, conductor.

 

St. Stephen's Church, NY, USA. The North/South Chamber Orchestra. Max Lifchitz, conductor.

 

Sala Carlos Chávez, CCU, Mexico City. Ensamble Nuevo de México, Miguel Salmón, conductor.

 

The Cornerstone, Hope at Everton, Liverpool, United Kingdom. Ensemble 10/10. Clark Rundell, conductor.

 

World Premiere at the Manuel Enriquez New Music Forum at the Blas Galindo Concert Hall at the CENART, Mexico City. ONIX ensemble.

February 20, 2017

October 18, 2012

March 8, 2012

July 15, 2010

June 8, 2010

November 15, 2009

June 10, 2009

May 20, 2006

Contact

Mexico

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+52 1 55 1825 9362

enrico@enricochapela.com

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