Lionel Marchetti and Decibel
French musique concrète artist Lionel Marchetti has been working with Decibel since 2012, creating collaborative compositions that have seen the development of what he calls partition concrète: a fixed-media part that functions as part of an ensemble of acoustic instruments, as well as a score, but also stands alone.
The collaboration has seen the creation of several works to date, as well as a series of films by Western Australian media artist Karl Ockelford.
Read an interview with Cat Hope about the collaboration and explore the power of sound in works like these.
Recordings: The Last Days of Reality and Inland Lake (le lac intérieur) are available through Room40.
Films and audiovisual works
Collaborative works
Première étude (les ombres) (2012) – For ensemble and partition concrète
Une série de reflets (2012) – For ensemble and partition concrète
The Earth Defeats Me (2014) – For bass flute, bass clarinet and partition concrète. Co-composed with Cat Hope
Pour un enfant qui dort (2015) – For flutes and partition concrète
The Last Days of Reality (2018) – For bass flute, tam tam and partition concrète. Co-composed with Cat Hope
Inland Lake (2019) – For ensemble and partition concrète. Co-composed with Decibel
La Patience (2020)- For ensemble and partition concrète
Selected performances
2012 Sounding a Room
3 December, Western Australian Museum, Perth
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2016 The Nature of Sound
23 March, Music Auditorium, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
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2019 Partition Concrète
26 August, The Sewing Room, Perth. Part of Decibel 10 at 10, featuring Lionel Marchetti
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2019 Extended Play
31 August, City Recital Hall, Sydney, featuring Lionel Marchetti
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30 November, London, UK
2025 Inland Lake at The Rechabite
6 November, Perth
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2026 Inland Lake at Phoenix Central Park
8 October, Sydney
Reviews and critical response
PERFORMANCES:
“A rich and masterful exploitation of the ensemble timbric potential in which the electronics integrate perfectly, becoming an additional instrument with its own localization in space and frequency – a masterpiece”
“deeply thoughtful musical poetry”
“an incredible performance with a beautiful new collaboration with Lionel Marchetti. Stunning.”
RECORDINGS:
‘The Last Days of Reality (Room 40, 2019) listed on Nicola Orlandino’s “Best Artworks of 2018” list, and top of BandCamp contemporary in January 2019.
‘Inland Lake’ (Room 40, 2023) Reviewed in The Wire as “…a vivid commentary on the tentativeness and coaxing of art” Brian Morton, The Wire, February 2023 (468)