Alan Courtis: Vltaraná
The piece creates an imaginary link between two rivers: the Vltava in the Czech Republic and the Paraná in Argentina. Both rivers stretch along considerable extensions of their respective countries connecting towns and cities, and building identity across vast landscapes.
The Vltava runs north from its source in Šumava, crossing Prague before merging with the Elbe at Mělník. The Paraná, the second largest river in South America, is born in northern Brazil and runs south through Paraguay and Argentina, where it merges with the Paraguay and Uruguay rivers to form the Río de la Plata estuary, which leads into the Atlantic Ocean.
Combining recordings and other acoustic and electronic sounds this composition will explore symbolic connections between both rivers while simultaneously delving into the Czech-Argentine identity of the composer himself.
Sound Sources: field recordings, electronics, strings and processed voices.