Horatiu Radulescu

This Romanian-born composer is noted for having developed the technique of 'spectral composition' during the 1960s. According to the man himself, this is defined as a "variable distribution of the spectral energy, synthesis of the global sound sources, micro- and macro-form as sound-process, four simultaneous layers of perception and of speed, and spectral scordaturae, i.e. rows of unequal intervals corresponding to harmonic scales." If you're any the wiser as to what he's on about do drop us a line, won't you? Judging from the actual material on the disc it seems that this means Radulescu's compositional methods rely upon the relationships between microtonal intervals that still conform to a proportional harmonic logic. The four compositions for viola collected on this disc are undeniably challenging works but any accordingly adventurous listener will be rewarded with some truly unique sounds, as on 'Das Andere', in which dueting violas play with the narrowest of intervals to evoke a wholly unreal set of timbres. Oddly, it's the electroacoustic piece, 'Intimate Rituals XI' that provides the most familiar sonic territory. A duet for viola and tape, the electronic manipulations are actually the least abstract element of the composition, with the viola's exploration of high frequency spectra making for an enthralling voyage into unfamiliar terrain for followers of challenging modern composition.