Un Po di musica
(2025)
author(s): Martina Madini
published in: Research Catalogue
This artistic research explores the integration of the saxophone and its extended techniques with tape to address environmental issues, focusing on drought in Po River, Italy. Motivated by the severe drought that occurred in 2022 and the natural disasters that occurred the following years later in the region, the research aims to raise awareness of climate change through the creation of a piece for saxophone and tape.
The methodology used includes a combination of score and recordings analysis, interviews, case studies, and self-experimentation. The main sources that shaped the research include the analysis of pieces such as Earth and the Great Weather by John Luther Adams and The Great Animal Orchestra Symphony by Bernie Krause and Richard Blackford, along with the self-experimentation with saxophone extended techniques found in Mysterious Morning III by Fuminori Tanada. These works initiated the exploration of integrating natural sounds into music. Additionally, the analysis of the performance SO Rude, SO Fragile by Massimiliano Vizzini provided valuable insights into the development of a structured improvisation, combining solo instrumental music with tape. Finally, interviews with experts such as Porter Ellerman,Tim Kliphuis, and Agnese Valmaggia provided further perspectives on how music can incorporate environmental issues, offering important insights on the integration of activism and music.
The research outcomes include two interventions focused primarily on field recordings and saxophone, a third intervention that introduces speech-based media to enhance the sonic and narrative theme, and a final composition that synthesizes the findings of the entire two-year research process.
This final outcome represents the culmination of all gathered insights: a piece that combines tape with live saxophone performance and extended techniques, with the focus on the climate crisis and a particular emphasis on the Po River and the theme of drought.
