Luciano Berio (b. 1925, Italy – d. 2003, Italy)
Visage, 1961

A composition of electronic sounds and Cathy Berberian’s (see #371) voice.

Everything I’ve said about Berberian (#371) applies here as well. Addition of electronic sounds and larger context of cooperation with another artist adds further elements of relevance.

Berio had also some interesting comments to the piece:

“It is based on the symbolic and representative charge that is carried by vocal gestures and inflections, with the “shadows of meanings” and the mental associations accompanying them.” (Berio 1961)

“It was also intended as a tribute to the radio as the most widely used means of spreading useless words.” (Berio 1961)

I find it interesting how blurring of categories make various elements that typically fall in-between them more visible – be it “shadows of meanings” or “mental association” and how such exposure can generate new meanings, expanding our contact surface with the universe.

References

Berio, Luciano. 1961. “Visage (author’s note)”. Centro Studio Luciano Berio. Accessed August 4, 2020. http://www.lucianoberio.org/node/1505?2019623839=1