Artist  : Porzellan
Title   : The Fourth Level Of Comprehension
Genre   : Ambient
Year    : 2009
Date    : 03/2010
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks  : 05
Label   : hibernate
Source  : CDDA
Encoder : Lame 3.97
Length  : 55:46 min
Size    : 62,1 MB

Tracklist:
----------

01.Nothing More Than Nothing              11:21
02.Between Two Suns                       10:50
03.A White Wall And A Tree                13:07
04.Rosen                                  11:21
05.One Week And One Day                   09:07
                                         -------
                                          55:46 min

he source inspiration of PorzellanÆs
second album æThe Fourth Level Of
ComprehensionÆ lies somewhat further
back than most releases in the nebulous,
interfacing genres of contemporary
classical and minimal electronic
composition û namely in the Baroque.
This is not so surprising in context,
for Francis Cazal, the artist behind the
Porzellan moniker is a classically
trained composer and baroque violinist.
ôIt may sound really radical, but after
the death of Bach (1750) music sounds
too different and less emotional to meö
û a refreshingly contrary opinion to the
accepted idea that the Romantic era
encapsulated the epitome of emotion and
passion in classical music.

The key characteristics linking æThe
Fourth LevelàÆ to Baroque music are
those of stateliness and dignity. This
is music of grace and dignity, unhurried
û formally conceived, but concealing
deep passions. But while informed by the
Baroque, it is Baroque as refracted
through the prism of post-modern
minimalism û J.S. Bach played at 16rpm,
or else a Largo fugue where only one in
every 48 notes has been retained û
occupying a space in the contemporary
musical universe not too many light
years away from the work of Arvo PΣrt,
Brian Eno or The Stars Of The Lid, yet
not particularly sounding like any of
these artists.

The purity of PorzellanÆs approach is
reflected in his state of mind during
the albumÆs creation: ôI only played
pre-Romantic music on my violin and it
was the only form of classical music I
was interested in listening to when I
put a CD on my sound system.ö The album
was indeed composed using only samples
of his own violin playing and dusty old
baroque records, subjected to varying
degrees of computer processing (which in
the case of opening track æNothing More
Than NothingÆ, is surprisingly little).
The lack of vibrato û a technique
introduced in the Romantic era û on this
track is still audibly apparent, the
listener transported on a stark drone as
if on a boat drifting serenely through a
misty fjord, the surrounding mountains
only fleetingly appearing through the
haze. This contrast, between beauty and
discovery on the one hand and a sense of
isolation and melancholy on the other,
continues on æA White Wall And A TreeÆ,
its two note refrain and ominous bass
part giving way to a gently expanding
wash of sound, and onwards into æRosenÆ
(æRosesÆ), where the elegiac echo of a
distant, almost English Horn-like tone
suggests a non-Baroque composer û Elgar.
This in turn elegantly quotes the
excellent artwork, a panorama of
desaturated autumnal colours in the
Yorkshire Dales by photographer David
Sharpe.

Interestingly, the dictionary definition
of Baroque refers to a æhighly ornateÆ
style, something that is perhaps not
ostensibly apparent on this release. But
make no mistake, a complex pattern is
present û a web linking the music with
the artwork, the conceptual premise (the
title refers to the three levels of
comprehension, or sophistication of
thinking, in literary comprehension
which Porzellan has expanded to include
the music one hears when reading) and
the artistÆs state of mind û isolated,
living in a foreign country during its
conception. These combine to reward the
listener with a rich work of emotional
depth and power. To mix metaphors a
little, these Æstill waters run deepÆ.

http://www.hibernate-recs.co.uk/



This NFO File was rendered by NFOmation.net

Artist  : Porzellan
Title   : The Fourth Level Of Comprehension
Genre   : Ambient
Year    : 2009
Date    : 03/2010
Bitrate : VBR kbps
Tracks  : 05
Label   : hibernate
Source  : CDDA
Encoder : Lame 3.97
Length  : 55:46 min
Size    : 62,1 MB

Tracklist:
----------

01.Nothing More Than Nothing              11:21
02.Between Two Suns                       10:50
03.A White Wall And A Tree                13:07
04.Rosen                                  11:21
05.One Week And One Day                   09:07
                                         -------
                                          55:46 min

he source inspiration of Porzellan’s
second album ‘The Fourth Level Of
Comprehension’ lies somewhat further
back than most releases in the nebulous,
interfacing genres of contemporary
classical and minimal electronic
composition – namely in the Baroque.
This is not so surprising in context,
for Francis Cazal, the artist behind the
Porzellan moniker is a classically
trained composer and baroque violinist.
“It may sound really radical, but after
the death of Bach (1750) music sounds
too different and less emotional to me”
– a refreshingly contrary opinion to the
accepted idea that the Romantic era
encapsulated the epitome of emotion and
passion in classical music.

The key characteristics linking ‘The
Fourth Level…’ to Baroque music are
those of stateliness and dignity. This
is music of grace and dignity, unhurried
– formally conceived, but concealing
deep passions. But while informed by the
Baroque, it is Baroque as refracted
through the prism of post-modern
minimalism – J.S. Bach played at 16rpm,
or else a Largo fugue where only one in
every 48 notes has been retained –
occupying a space in the contemporary
musical universe not too many light
years away from the work of Arvo Pärt,
Brian Eno or The Stars Of The Lid, yet
not particularly sounding like any of
these artists.

The purity of Porzellan’s approach is
reflected in his state of mind during
the album’s creation: “I only played
pre-Romantic music on my violin and it
was the only form of classical music I
was interested in listening to when I
put a CD on my sound system.” The album
was indeed composed using only samples
of his own violin playing and dusty old
baroque records, subjected to varying
degrees of computer processing (which in
the case of opening track ‘Nothing More
Than Nothing’, is surprisingly little).
The lack of vibrato – a technique
introduced in the Romantic era – on this
track is still audibly apparent, the
listener transported on a stark drone as
if on a boat drifting serenely through a
misty fjord, the surrounding mountains
only fleetingly appearing through the
haze. This contrast, between beauty and
discovery on the one hand and a sense of
isolation and melancholy on the other,
continues on ‘A White Wall And A Tree’,
its two note refrain and ominous bass
part giving way to a gently expanding
wash of sound, and onwards into ‘Rosen’
(‘Roses’), where the elegiac echo of a
distant, almost English Horn-like tone
suggests a non-Baroque composer – Elgar.
This in turn elegantly quotes the
excellent artwork, a panorama of
desaturated autumnal colours in the
Yorkshire Dales by photographer David
Sharpe.

Interestingly, the dictionary definition
of Baroque refers to a ‘highly ornate’
style, something that is perhaps not
ostensibly apparent on this release. But
make no mistake, a complex pattern is
present – a web linking the music with
the artwork, the conceptual premise (the
title refers to the three levels of
comprehension, or sophistication of
thinking, in literary comprehension
which Porzellan has expanded to include
the music one hears when reading) and
the artist’s state of mind – isolated,
living in a foreign country during its
conception. These combine to reward the
listener with a rich work of emotional
depth and power. To mix metaphors a
little, these ’still waters run deep’.

http://www.hibernate-recs.co.uk/



This NFO File was rendered by NFOmation.net