HISTORY
Composer Wiel Conen started his career in the United States by studying
Music Theory in Los Angeles. He then studied Composition at the Juilliard
School in New York.
Following his return to the Netherlands, he continued his training under
composer Misha Mengelberg, including a spell at the Sweelinck Conservatory
in Amsterdam.
In a recent interview, his teacher Mengelberg described Conen as follows:
“He has Bruckner’s temperament: rather unworldly, extremely
friendly and far from stupid. In his attic room he has a computer and
a sampler, and he uses them to produce pieces, each of which is equally
delightful. It is the nicest stuff I have come across recently.”
The words of praise fit with the modest aim which Conen sets for himself
in his compositions: “To give shape to whatever is bubbling up inside
me in such a way that an audience can derive satisfaction from it.”
DIFFUSENESS
Conen wants to use his work to tell stories. “It is not really about
definite subjects, conscious beliefs or thoughts. It is about emotions,
about atmospheres. Everyone has their own field in which they are expressive.
For me, it is composing music.” In telling his stories, Conen consciously
chooses for what he calls “depth of voice”. This has nothing
to do with singing, but a lot to do with the range of the palette. “I
want to have the freedom to use everything that I feel is necessary. For
that reason, I will draw - particularly for the electronic compositions
- from areas such as folk music, jazz and particularly pop music.”
IMPROVISED
MUSIC
Wiel Conen started to write in 1978 following a period during which he
performed as a guitarist focussing mainly on improvised music: pop and
free jazz. “At that time, what I call ’moment compositions’
were created: improvisations which were recorded on tape on the spot.
Working from those improvisations, I started to apply structure, and that
led to actual compositions: particularly when I gained access to a multi-track
tape recorder with which you can superimpose several soundtracks with
different messages.” The emphasis increasingly shifted to composition.
His guitar-playing slipped into the background.
THE NEW WORLD
The switch occurred in the United States. “When I went to the ’new
world’, with two guitars in my luggage, it was mainly to find kindred
spirits as a guitar player. But in Los Angeles I discovered that I found
elaborating musical thoughts to be more important than playing music.
In Los Angeles I started to write tunes down for the first time. I also
made my first steps into atonality after attending lectures at the Schönberg
Institute about the composer and his work.”
Years later, a television documentary about electronic music made a deep
impression on him. It featured a report about new equipment which had
been developed at IRCAM, the centre for electronic music in Paris. This
equipment could be used to transform all kinds of sounds. Conen says:
“It was fascinating that sounds could change their shape through
digital processes.”
He started to experiment: with a simple computer at home and sometimes
- using more advanced equipment - at STEIM, the centre for electronic
music in Amsterdam.
Three years ago the composer purchased a computer which substantially
expanded on the possibilities previously offered to him by tape recorders
and the old PC. The electronic composition are now a very important part
of his oeuvre. A selection of his works in this area will shortly be released
on CD.
COMPOSING
Composition using musical notation with pencil and paper at the piano
makes up the other area of Conen’s work. This technique has produced works
for chamber orchestra, a string quartet and a song cycle, amongst other
things. The fourteen works for piano which can be heard on this CD have
been created over the past thirteen years. Conen comments on his piano
compositions: “These are all my piano works up to 1995. They were
first performed - also by Marijke van Duin - in Amsterdam in early 1996.
The language which I am seeking to speak in these works is based on space,
tension and stirred emotions. Where chaos and confusion appear to reign,
the listener can also discover a new order. A clear development in my
work over the past thirteen years can be heard in these works. By working
with electronics, I discovered more and more possibilities and freedoms
within composing with musical notation which I had thought only existed
on the computer. Although the piano works are limited by the restrictions
of the acoustic, I have consciously chosen not to add anything. The piano
as an instrument has a multiplicity of possibilities. In fact, you can
render all musical thoughts - including those for an orchestra - on a
piano.”
1 | guitar 4tet no. 1 1979 |
2 | guitar 4tet no. 2 |
3 | guitar 4tet no. 3 |
4 | guitar 4tet no. 4 |
5 | guitar 4tet & ensemble (12 maal 12) |
6 | guitar duo |
7 | for improvisation no. 1 |
8 | guitar 4tet no. 5 |
9 | guitar 4tet no. 6 (chain structure ) |
10 | for piano no. 1 ( & variations ) |
11 | for piano no. 2 ( valse ) |
12 | for clarinet no. 1 |
13 | for improvisation no. 2 |
14 | for organ, flute & clarinet |
15 | for wind instuments, strings, marimba & guitar |
16 | for two viola"s |
17 | for piano no. 3 1982 |
18 | for soprano & piano |
19 | for flute no. 1 |
20 | for piano no. 4 ( serial fray ) *** |
21 | for strings ( a glass of wagner ) |
22 | for strings no. 2 |
23 | for improvisation no. 3 |
24 | for piano no. 5 ( mannerism ) |
25 | for chamber orchestra no. 1 |
26 | for two piano's ( cyclus ) |
27 | for piano no. 6 ( bagatelle ) 1985 |
28 | for piano no. 7 ( stage music ) 1985 |
29 | for marimba |
30 | for piano no. 8 ( captive balloons ) 1985 *** |
31 | for flute & string 4tet 1986 |
32 | for organ ( fughetta ) |
33 | for small ensemble ( para elisa ) |
34 | for 3 guitars ( crossroad ) 1986 |
35 | for chamberorchestra no. 2 ( kamer octet ) 1987 *** |
36 | for piano no. 9 ( numero due ) no. 2 revisited |
37 | for piano no. 10 ( suite ) 1987 no. 3 revisited |
38 | for piano no. 11 ( vienna dance ) 1987 |
39 | for wind instruments & ensemble ( cambiata overture ) |
40 | for small ensemble ( purputurquesa ) *** |
41 | for soprano & ensemble ( moody mood ) |
42 | for soprano & ensemble ( something ) |
43 | for soprano & ensemble ( echo's ) |
44 | for wind 5tet & ensemble ( jahlow ) 1988 *** |
45 | for alto & ensemble ( poppy love ) |
46 | for alto & ensemble ( moody mood ) no. 41 revisited |
47 | for alto, cello & piano ( tail bite ) |
48 | for alto cello & piano ( chameleon ) |
49 | for alto & ensamble ( something ) no. 42 revisited |
50 | for alto, piano & violin ( i'd say ) |
51 | for alto, piano, violin, viola & cello ( ohne worte ) |
52 | for alto & ensemble ( e vouch que ) *** |
53 | for alto & ensemble ( burlinka ) |
54 | for alto & ensemble ( beesplay ) *** |
55 | for piano no. 12 ( sammedy ) |
56 | for piano no. 13 ( nouveaute de l'annee passe ) *** |
57 | for string 4tet 1990 no. 31 revisited |
58 | for chamber orchestra ( cyclus ) 1991 no. 26 revisited *** |
59 | for string sextet 1991 no. 20 revisited |
60 | for panflute & piano 1991 |
61 | for porcelain 5tet 1991 |
62 | for computer ensemble ( le bosc ) 1991 |
63 | for computer ensemble ( most art ) 1992 *** |
64 | for synthesizers & guitar ( meditation on a casual day ) 1992 |
65 | for synthesizers & guitar ( opmaat ) 1992 |
66 | for synthesizers & guitar ( bobpop ) 1992 |
67 | for computer ensemble ( rock that venture ) 1992 |
68 | for piano no. 14 ( in red wise cold ) 1992 |
69 | for computer ensemble ( hausse ) 1993 |
70 | for piano no. 15 ( expansivite ) 1993 |
71 | for carillon en trumpet ( fulgura frango ) 1993 |
72 | for computer string orchestra 1993 |
73 | for chamberorchestra ( rubber time ) 1994 *** |
74 | for choir, video & midiguitar 1994 |
75 | for piano no. 16 ( rubber time ) 1994 *** |
76 | for piano no. 17 ( being there ) 1991/94 *** |
77 | for computer ensemble ( all or nothing ) 1994 |
78 | for midigitaar & computer ( juni '94 improvisations ) 1995 |
79 | for piano no.18 ( patience in six parts ) 1996 |
80 | for computer ensemble & guitar ( hocoze ) 1997 |
81 | for computer ( pf/strings/pf ) 1997 |
82 | for disklavier no.1 1997 |
83 | for disklavier no.2 1997 |
84 | for streetorgan ( get smart ) 1997 |
85 | for computer ( film blindinstitute ) 1997 |
86 | for piano no. 19 ( vacuum cleaner ) 1997 |
87 | for computer ensemble & guitar ( ship ahoi ) 1998 |
88 | for guitar 4tet ( chain ) 1998 no. 9 revisited |
90 | for piano no.20 ( kippis ja kummitus ) 1998 *** |
91 | for computer ensemble ( suite dansant immobile ) 1998 |
92 | for tape & violin ( groucho on 441 ) 1998 |
93 | for voice & guitar ( boy guisse one ) 1998 |
94 | for voice & guitar ( boy guisse two ) 1998 |
95 | for computer & guitar ( max a selfportrait ) 1999 |
96 | for computer ( dance wheel, day & night ) 1999 |
97 | for four improvisors ( kompost ) 1999 |
98 | for piano no. 21 ( the egg shuffle ) 2000 *** |
99 | for midiguitar & tape ( double you ) 2000 |
100 | for piano no. 22 ( XenY ) 2000 |
101 | for computer ( broaching the line ) 2001/2002 |
102 | for computer & sringtrio (film venloo 1936 ) |
103 | for piano no.23 ( resume de l'annee prochane ) 2002 |
104 | for mezzo soprano & ensemble ( luft ) 2002/2003 *** |
105 | for computer & guitar ( dialog ) 2000 |
106 | for computer bass,drums & midiguitar ( Sparkle ) 2003 |
107 | for computer bass,drums & midiguitar ( Core ) 2003 |
108 | for computer bass,drums & midiguitar ( Samba ) 2003 |
109 | for computer bass,drums & midiguitar ( Mersey ) 2003 |
110 | for computer bass,drums & midiguitar ( Kerrata ) 2003 |
111 | for bass, drums, piano, harpsichord,tub.bells & guitar ( encore, encore ) 2003 |
112 | for piano no.24 ( pervade ) 2004 |
113 | for four drumms ( drumming ) 2004 |
114 | for disklavier & midiguitar ( limited edition ) 2005 |
115 | for voice & tape ( zwijg utrecht ) 2005 |
116 | Schimpf in Zwei Teile , for piano solo 2005 |
117 | Isi blossem, for small ensemble 2006 |
118 | Nipo nimbus, for piano solo 2006 |
119 | Danza immobile, for small ensemble 2006 |
120 | Walnut symphony, for chamber orchester 2007 |
121 | Lexiconvalley vol 1 t/m 9 for guitar, computer & Wii 2007/2009 |
130 | people of.... for carillon & tape 2009 |
131 | Piano solo 2009 |
132 | Pandemon piano solo 2010 |
133 | Voice Wise piano solo 2011 |
134 | Burned Beans piano solo 2011 |
135 | No More piano solo 2011 |
136 | Sanity City wind 5tet 2011 |
137 | No Way, piano solo 2011 |
138 | Nr 6 piano solo, revisited 2012 |
139 | Die Wende piano, clar, vc and vl 2012 |
140 | Nr 3 revisited for tape 2012 |
141 | Nr 4 piano solo revisited 2012 |
142 | / 154 Ulysses for el.guit./ computer and voice |
155 | Yugaat for chamberorchester 2013 |
156 | Njemtsi piano solo 2014 |
157 | There..still piano solo 2014 |
158 | Big time piano solo 2015 |
159 | Must be there ( Ulysses ) voice and tape 2015 |
160 | Run or jump ( Ulysses ) voice and tape 2015 |
161 | Double hick ( Ulysses) voice and tape 2015 |
162 | Never again to sea (J.Joyce) 2015 |
163 | Salle Polyvalent in 10 parts, piano solo 2016 |
164 | Seismo G, piano solo 2017/td> |
165 | Ein Satz, fl, vl. vla, cb. 1985/ rev 2017 |
166 | XYZ, pianosolo 2000/ rev. 2017 |
167 | Mind the Gap, piano, tuba en tape 2017 |
168 | Cloudspeaker, tape, guitar, voice 2018 |
169 | Het laatste bruine cafe, korte opera 2018 |
170 | Piano and percussion, tape 2018 |
171 | The beat goes.., tape 2018 |
172 | Whether its.., tape 2019 |
173 | Chromatic fortune, tape 2019 |
174 | Drum ’n Bass, tape 2019 |
175 | Scetch 1982 , piano rev. 2020 |
176 | Ghostriders choise, tape 2020 |
177 | Nuvola Nuova, tape 2020 |
178 | Danza dalla casa 1998 rev. 2020 |
179 | Pop up from Able, tape 2020 |
180 | Jazz from Able One, tape 2020 |
181 | Jazz from Able Two, tape 2020 |
182 | Jazz from Able three, tape 2020 |
183 | Cape Due, tape 2021 |
184 | Carpet Bis One, tape 2021 |
185 | Saya berdua, tape 2021 |
186 | This could be 53, tape 2021 |
187 | K 47.11, tape 2021 |
188 | Hati hati, tape 2022 |
189 | For organ 1982 rev. 2022 |
190 | Bila Nitsj, tape 2022 |
Payment to:
Wiel Conen
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Postbank
BIC nr. PSTBNL21
IBAN nr. NL44PSTB0006341970
(Iban International Bank Account Number)
Contact Email: wielconen01@gmail.com
WIEL CONEN
25-9-1953
Composer/improvisor Wiel Conen studied for one year music theory at the Julliard Conservatory, and composition with Paul Levi in New York, followed by five years of composition with Misha Mengelberg including two years at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam.
Recent activities:
2010
Concert guitar/computer From 1001 tranquillizers at The van Schijndelhuis Utrecht
2009
Performance Lexiconvalley at van Bommel van Dam Museum Venlo
Performance Lexiconvalley at Smart Project Space Amsterdam
2005
Realisation CD "Lost Dances" for virtual trio/4tet, bas,drums & midiguitar
Composition "Limited Edition" for disklavier & midiguitar.
Composition/commission "Zwijg Utrecht" for the Ijsselstein Historic museum.
Composition/commission "Allerzielen Allicht" from Kunstenaars & Co in Amsterdam
2004/2003
Composition for mezzosoprano, chamber orchestra, choir & tape.
2002
Composition/commission: Historical films from 1936 by Wim Cox from the Limburg Museum released on video
2002/2001
Composition/commission for the Semsline Artproject by the Herinrichting commissie Gronigs-Drentse veenkolonien, released on DVD.
2000
Release CD on label Etcetera, with piano soloworks and performed by Marijke van Duin.
1999/2000
Composition/commission from Muziek centrum Den Bosch, for improvisation 4tet, with Misha Mengelberg, Luc Houtkamp, Gert Jan Prins
& Wiel Conen.
Paintings by: Nico Scholten ( Ede, 1955 )
Nico Scholten works as a professional artist since 1982.
Graduated from Ateliers '63 Haarlem in 1979 and the Jan van Eyck Academy,
Maastricht in 1982. His work consists of drawing and painting in gouache and
watercolour. Main subjects: landscapes and formations in a still life atmosphere.
Addres: Rapenburg 65F
1011 TV Amsterdam.
tel. 020-6365229
Lightobjects by: Joseph - vjj@xs4all.nl
Photos by: Egon Notermans
Webdesign by: Jeroen Kemp - jeroen.kemp@gmail.com
Webdesign update: welcomehomepage.net