I used to think I had Robert Piotrowicz pegged as a “heavy noise guitarist” type on the strength of his excellent record The Final Warn, but that particular grunt of apocalypto happiness was from 2006. Now our well-loved Polish fellow has emerged as a composer of no small trilby, and here’s Afterlife (PP56) released on Mark Harwood’s excellent Penultimate Press label, home to the choice apples of art music of the contemporaine.
Weighty black and red cover, abstract nightmares, a curtain of bloodshed for the slaughter to come. Apparently Afterlife is intended to resemble organ music, but all the details of a pipe organ (e.g. wind rushing through pipes, double diapasons on the keys, suggestion that it might be taking place inside a cathedral) which we think we can perceive are completely faked, by synthesis. Aye, armed with a stopwatch and a ruthless determination to execute his plan, Piotrowicz sets out three parts of this “fictional” organ music, not only deceiving our impressions as to the instrument being played, but also playing merry havoc with harmonics…all through the devices of manipulation and editing. “You can’t play this music on a traditional 12-tone organ,” is his proud claim, although not in those exact words, and he goes on to elaborate something about one-third tone intervals, a strategy which comes across as almost diabolical in nature.
Personally I think Piotrowicz is making a little too much capital out of this aspect of the work; I shan’t say he’s playing a prank on the listener with his fictional organ, but it’s not quite the “gotcha” moment he would like to think. Even so, a powerful droning darkeroo will haunt those who spin this demon. Yes, “bold and dramatic” is correct, but this music is also challenging, both intellectually and physically. Mixed chords, horrifying combinations, or something. I feel like we’re hearing music that we’re not allowed to hear, music that shouldn’t even exist in the world. About 62% of it is just plain “wrong”, and makes me worry that my intestines will curdle if exposed to it for too long. Approach with caution. (01/08/2023)