Paul Dolden


Paul Dolden, is an electroacoustic music composer, currently living in Montréal, Canada.
Paul Dolden began his career at age 16 as a professional electric guitarist, violinist, and cellist. Since age 29 he has won over twenty international awards for his music which is performed in both Europe and North America. His approach to audio technology is to use it as a platform to launch otherwise impossible musical performances, thereby making his computer behave like a virtual orchestra. His compositions are characterised by a maximalist aesthetic in which hundreds of digitally recorded instrumental and vocal performances are combined in multiple layers.
Dolden's early works employed a unified approach to timbral and harmonic variation, but under the influence of postmodernism, his concerns shifted to include the juxtaposition and superimposition of disparate musical styles. His Resonance Cycle of works are an example of this. In his Twilight Cycle Dolden investigated contemporary new music-melody and dance rhythms, genres not normally associated with electroacoustic music.
Dolden's 2-CD set, L'Ivresse de la Vitesse is regarded as a landmark recording and was as "one of the top 100 recordings of the 20th century."

List of works

The Melting Voice Through Mazes Running Veils In the Natural Doorway I Crouch Caught in an Octagon of Unaccustomed Light Measured Opalescence, piano, percussion, and tapeBelow the Walls of Jericho Dancing on the Walls of Jericho Physics of Seduction. Invocation #1, electric guitar, and tapePhysics of Seduction. Invocation #2, harpsichord, and tapeBeyond the Walls of Jericho Physics of Seduction. Invocation #3, cello, and tapeL'ivresse de la vitesse In a Bed Where the Moon Was Sweating. Resonance #1, clarinet, and tapeRevenge of the Repressed. Resonance #2, soprano sax, and tapeThe Gravity of Silence. Resonance #5, flute, and tapeThe Heart Tears itself Apart with the Power of its own Muscle. Resonance #3, 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, 2 doublebasses, and tapeGravity's Stillness. Resonance #6, violin, and tapeThe Vertigo of Ritualized Frenzy. Resonance #4, reed instrument and/or piano, and tapeThe Frenzy of Banging on a Can, piano, bass clarinet, electric guitar, vibraphone, cello, doublebass, and tapeThe Heart Tears
for Saxes and Brass, 4 saxes, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, and tapeResonant Twilight, orchestra, and tapeTwilight's Dance Entropic Twilights Rave #1, trumpet, electric guitar, vibraphone, piano, acoustic or electric bass, and tape

Recordings

The Threshold of Deafening Silence L'ivresse de la vitesse Twilight's Dance Seuil de silences L'ivresse de la vitesse 1 L'ivresse de la vitesse 2 Délires de plaisirs
  • ''Who Has the Biggest Sound?''