Noces Alchimiques: Guy Perron – CAPAC Musical Portrait

“Noces Alchimiques” 11:00 (1984)
pour percussion et bande magnétique

Here is another rare piece of electronic music taken from the CAPAC Musical Portrait series. This one is particularly interesting in its combination of percussive instruments and tape manipulations. “Noces Alchimiques” is by composer Guy Perron and it features contributions by Montreal Symphony Orchestra percussionist Serge Desgagnés.

There is a definite shortage of information concerning Perron’s background and his post-1986 whereabouts. It does not help that the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec mixed up his personal details with those of another composer named Francis Perron (they may very well be the same person but I doubt it – too many discrepancies between their respective biographies). What is known is that Perron taught himself to play a number of instruments sufficiently well to undertake post-secondary studies in music. He then turned to composition and electroacoustics. The experience he acquired working with new music composer Micheline Coulombe Saint-Marcoux certainly informed his approach to tape music.

The piece featured here explores notions of complementarity by attempting to fuse apparently disparate elements. On this 7” vinyl, Perron proposes a percussion-based esoteric mixture that should leave you wanting more. This is potent stuff and it lasts a full eleven minutes.

“noces alchimiques – partie a”

“noces alchimiques – partie b”

The following was taken from the liner notes:

“Noces Alchimiques”, a work for percussion (small and medium light drums, and military drums) and tape, explores form on a microcosm and macrocosm level. Two basic elements organize the piece. The percussionist evokes the first in the form of a solo incantatory prelude. The sudden entry of the taped recording, which uses mainly the three drums, interrupts the solo and undertakes a long passage of the second element.