Schreck Ensemble

The Schreck Ensemble was founded in 1989 by composers Arie van Schutterhoef and Hans van Eck. The name of the ensemble is a combination of the founders surnames (SCHutteRhoef; ECK) and a reference to the actor Max Schreck. The ensemble performs and commissions electroacoustic music and has a repertoire of works from composers such as Kaija Saariaho, John Cage, Jean-Claude Rissetand Chiel Meyering. The Schreck Ensemble also programs thier own software with the SuperCollider programming language, and they also develop their own hardware for the production and performance of electroacoustic music. Many of these works are examples of traditional avant-garde. The foundation, of which the the ensemble is part, has given many commisions to composers such as Arthur Sauer, Gene Carl, Gerda Geertens, Jeremy Arden, Michael Chocholak and Makoto Shinohara to write electroacoustic compositions. A part of their repertoire includes a song called "The Day". It is a result of a collaboration between the Schreck - Ensemble and the sound artist Hans van Koolwijk featuring his instrument called the "Bambuso Sonore". Besides this, the ensemble also performs multi-media works. Until now these were "Aquae Supracoelestes" for tape and video-projection and "Nuctemeron" for ensemble, tape and video-projection.

Software

Many pieces in the Schreck Ensemble's repertoire can only be played if the required computer programs are available. Schreck is the only organisation in the Netherlands that is capable of writing these programs when necessary. Schreck develops software for the realization of sound effects that exist only in a composers mind. For instance if a composer imagines an addition to the sound of a traditional instrument such as the reverberation of a violin tone which rapidly changes its timbre, but such an effect does not exist, the Shreck Ensemble can create a program which makes that particular effect possible.

Sometimes composers require new effects programs to be written. At other times they require the recreation of equipment that no longer exists. In this way the classical pieces of Nono's 'La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura' en 'A Pierre dell' azurro silenzio, inquietum' could only be performed in the Netherlands by the Schreck Ensemble, because the Schreck Ensemble has the ability to emulate old electronic equipment with its own musical software. Software is also written to make and expand the relationship between acoustic instruments and the computer. A prime example of this kind of software is a development by Schreck that follows scores called the ComParser. This program knows and recognizes music. It ascertains which part of the music is being played then it sends signals to computers and other necessary equipment. These signals initiate pre-programmed sequences of sound processers at the right moment. ComParser follows the tempo of the musician. Interest for ComParser has been shown by the French institute for music research IRCAM. Momentarily ComParser runs on different types of computers, using MacOS, Irix and Linux. For the insiders ComParser is not a "pitch-follower" it is a "spectrum-follower".

Instruments

Untill now three instruments have been designed by the Schreck-Ensemble the Stratifier, the BasBox and the Pulsor. The Stratifier is a small instrument (10 x 30 x 40 cm), with 12 touch sensitive control-surfaces that when played by a musician sends control signals to various types of sound processing equipment. It was built according to the wishes of a Schreck Ensemble member and is used during many performances. The BasBox is an acoustic instrument. The sound of this is instrument is based on the overblowing of two flutes that obtain their air from a large fast moving bass-speaker. This gives the BasBox its own distinctive sound with many overtones. It does not in any way resemble the sound of a flute, but rather that of a wooden percussion instrument. The advantage of this instrument is not only the unique sound but also the precision by which it can be controlled. This is done by means of sounds recorded on cd. The instrument is being used in the composition "The Day". The third instrument the Pulsor is still under development. The Pulsor makes possible to play the BasBox live and one is able to control the cone of the bass-speaker much better than with the pre-recorded sounds. The Pulsor also enables the BasBox to be played with the Stratifier. A composition that uses the Pulsor is in progress.

Appearences

The Schreck Ensemble performed for the first time in 1989 at the then renowned art center Apollohuis in Eindhoven, playing works exclusively by Arie van Schutterhoef and Hans van Eck. Since then works by other composers have been performed by the Shreck Ensemble. Several composers have approached the Schreck Ensemble for their specialties requesting the performance of their work. As such the Schreck Ensemble has performed in major venues for contemporary music in the Netherlands and abroad.

Venues

Since 1989 they have played in the already mentioned Apollohuis in Eindhoven, the Music Centre Vredenburg - Utrecht, the Grote Kerk - Groningen, Dodorama - Rotterdam, the Ruïne Kerk - Bergen-NH, Theater Frascati - Amsterdam, Music Centre Frits Philips - Eindhoven, Theatre Kikker - Utrecht and Theatre Provadja - Alkmaar.

Specific mentioning of notable performances by the Schreck Ensemble include works by Jean-Claude Risset, Kaija Saariaho, Michael Chocholak, Ton de Leeuw and Jeremy Arden in Music Centre in IJsbreker, Amsterdam. Another important place is the Stedelijk Museum for Modern Art, Amsterdam, where compositions by Chocholak, Van Vught, Van Schutterhoef, Saariaho, Meyering, Risset, Karpen, Banasik, Steward, Dinescu, Pijnenburg and Frey were played. Certainly not less significant is their appearance in the Music Centre, 's Hertogenbosch, with music a.o. by Luigi Nono, Kaija Saariaho and Ton de Leeuw.

collaborations

The Schreck Ensemble has collaborated with many institutes and organisations inside and outside the Netherlands: European Network (Foundation Gaudeamus/Associazone Nuove Sincronie-Milan, Italy); studio's for electronic music STEIM and CEM in Amsterdam, The Netherlands; tART (technology and art) -organisation of the University Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands;; Danish Institute for Electro-acoustic Music (DIEM) - Aarhus, Denmark and the Centro Ricerche Musicali - Roma, Italy.

Ascolta The by the Fonds voor de Podiumkunsten subsidized project 'Ascolta', based around the electro-acoustic music of Luigi Nono, brought the ensemble to different locations in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Abroad Other countries where the Schreck Ensemble appeared were: Germany, particulary in Essen (Kunsthaus Essen) and Lüneburg (Glockenhaus); Spain, Granada (Teatro Alhambra) and Sevilla (Teatro Central); Italy, Rome (Goethe-Institute) and Sassari (Teatro Il Ferroviario); Belgium, Gent (Logos' tetraeter-hall) and in Denmark, Aarhus (Musikhuset).

Festivals The Schreck Ensemble has played at several festivals including the November Music Festival in Den Bosch and Gent, Distronics Festival in Eindhoven, festival 'Sounds imagined, Images sonified' near Castle Eijsden, Limburg and the Touch Festival Amsterdam, organised by STEIM. Abroad the ensemble was invited to be the 'ensemble in residence' during the Studienwoche fr Neue Musik in Lneburg, German, to which it later returned to appear in the Festival für Neue Musik that is connected to it; Schreck played at MIX01 Festival in Aarhus (Denmark); at the Festival 'Musica Scienza, Teatro dell' Ascolto' in Rome (Italy); on invitation of the cultural board of the regional government of Andaluca, Schreck participated in the Contemporary Music Concert Series in Theatro Central in Sevilla and during the XIV Contemporary Music Days in Teatro Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

Radio Radio broadcasts about and with the Schreck - Ensemble were transmitted by the Dutch broadcasting companies KRO, the VPRO and the ConcertZender. Outside the Netherlands there were similar programs in Australia (Difficult Listening), Russia and Denmark.

Videoworks The video-work made by Schreck was shown during the '7th International Festival of New Film', Split-Croatia in the new media section; at the Sas International Award 2003 festival in Catania, Italy - organised by the United Nations - in the category Digital Wave for experimental movies and video-art; and selected for the "Slowtime? .... Quicktime as an artistic medium", as example for streaming media. organised by Agricola de Cologne experimental platform for internet art.

critical reception

The performances of the Schreck Ensemble have always been well received by the audiences who always show great interest and listen with great concentration, by the editors and programmers of concert-venues and makers of radio-programs who were always inviting Schreck to appear more than once. The Schreck Ensemble is also well received by the press as none of their concerts have ever received any negative reviews. Quite the opposite, praise was given, for instance, by Emile Wennekes –now professor of Musicology University of Utrecht- in NRC Handelsblad: ...When this composition was performed during the Holland Festival '92 in the Beurs van Berlage by Kremer himself, it made a huge impression. In a small intimate space like the Synagogue in Den Bosch nothing of the intense suspense is lost... ...The music of Nono demands the utmost concentration of the musicians and a good sense of timing in a slow dramatic rhythm. The members of the Schreck-ensemble are handling this very well... ...also because of the exemplary way the technicians of the Schreck -ensemble play along with the music behind their mixing desks...

Or reviewer and new music connaisseur Rene van Peer in Brabants Dagblad: ...an impressive concert by the Schreck Ensemble...dedicated to Nono...

The enthusiastic reaction Serge Tikhanoff, the editior and producer of Radio Penguin in Novosibirsk, Russia: ...We were glad and proud for such splendid, exceptional interesting works! For us and for our audience it was only one chance to discover creation of such bright artists as Schreck, touch such highest culture and mastery. Thank You for joy of dealings with Music and Creation! ...