Dislocation and relocation: clarsach and live electronics

Abstract

In writing The Salutation (clarsach and electroacoustic sound) for harpist Catriona McKay in 2002, I wanted to create something which celebrated the history and music of the instrument itself, using studio technology to create a bridge between idiomatic writing for the instrument and environmental/anecdotal sound, including the voice, which referenced place and time.

This paper will chart and reflect on the collaborative work we have done together since then, describing our methodology for interrogating and relocating the clarsach. It will explore how we consciously play with musical, sonic and conceptual distances in our improvised performances, and examine aspects of this shared ‘performance ecosystem’ (Waters, 2007), which enables us to function in multiple contexts.