Flamma Flamma

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Flamma Flamma -The Fire Requiem

Studio album 1st part of The Accacha Chronicles (European cover version) by Nicholas Lens
Released	1994, re-release 2002
Genre	Contemporary classical
Length	75:24
Label	Sony Classical - Sony BMG
Producer(s)	Nicholas Lens

1 Flamma Flamma -The Fire Requiem
2 Time magazine quote
3 Nicholas Lens on Flamma Flamma - The Fire Requiem
4 American cover version
5 Introduction
6 Live- creations & adaptations
7 Tracklisting
8 External links

[edit] Flamma Flamma -The Fire Requiem

First part of the operatic trilogy by Nicholas Lens The Accacha Chronicles
Music & Concept: Nicholas Lens
Libretto: Herman Portocarero
Published by Schott Music International Mainz/ New York
Released by Sony BMG International 74321 697172
Original release by Sony Classical SK 66293

[edit] Time magazine quote

'“Contemporary classical compositions are breaking down the established divisions between popular and so-called serious music. Among recordings, notable crossovers include Polish composer Henryk Gorecki's mystical Symphony No. 3 and British minimalist Michael Nyman's score for the 1993 film The Piano. This year's hit is Flamma Flamma by Belgium's Nicholas Lens. In 14 sections, the somber score combines orchestra, chorus and six operatic voices that contrast with the eerie tonalities of three singers from the women's choir Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares. With its visceral strength and sustained emotional drive, Flamma Flamma has won a loyal audience and critical favor. Lens observed a funeral ritual in Papua New Guinea and was struck by the treatment in non-Western religions of death as central to life. He picked up ethnic elements from his travels around the world, and merged them into this powerful requiem that embraces death and sets free the soul."

[edit] Nicholas Lens on Flamma Flamma - The Fire Requiem

“To me, the one thing that makes life bearable is the knowledge that it will come to an end, because accepting this is the only way to unconditionally and freely enjoy life. It has taken me many long journeys, both physically and mentally, to reach this obvious insight. For the first part of ‘The Accacha Chronicles’ I wrote Flamma Flamma -The Fire Requiem as a ritual, strongly influenced by the magic powers of non-European cultures. It is simply the expression of a notion of death as being a natural part of the cosmic life process. The natural quality of primitive death ceremonials often sharply contrasts with the over-organized and therefore spiritually weakened ceremonials of the Western world. The six classical vocal soloists symbolize six gods or the higher awareness of man. They reflect in a philosophical and intellectual manner on the human emotionality relating to death. Musically, I almost have them court death. They point out that all positive aspects of fire, i.e. light, warmth and passion produce a salutary effect at the cosmic transition. A small choir of three natural voices represent the lamenting and scornful women who ridicule death and freely comment on it, since death doesn’t concern them, yet. They take pleasure in musically disturbing the gods in their sublime state. The anonymous mixed choir imitates and reinforces bits and pieces of what it intercepts from the six gods. It reflects and accepts without prejudice everything the six gods think and sing. In the original live performance I introduced the Gédé, a Haitian voodoo master who dotes on everything that has to do with death. He lives in a perpetual state of trance, floating between cosmic bliss and earthly limitations. He dances on graves, laughs in the faces of sad mourners and mocks death in all its facets. Then -with an empty look in his eyes- he comes down in his own closed nether world of magic. His territory is the cemetery. He almost permanently hangs out there, often half possessed, sometimes bitterly serious, occasionally even funny. In ‘Flamma Flamma’ the gédé is initially portrayed as an occidental master of ceremonies; thens as a precursor of death an at times as death itself. In a theatrical manner, he arranges the emotional chaos and spits out bits and pieces of text through which he indicates the proper conversational topics. The others speak an obsolete language; only he can be understood. Gradually, he is swept away by the emotions of the ritual and eventually regains his magic powers.. The Fire Requiem is a quest for harmony between contrasting elements: the highly-skilled classical vocal soloists as opposed to the raw, unpolished natural voices; the natural bridge-building between diametrically opposed styles and eras; the acceptance of the blending of rich, old, but weary European culture with the strength and often surprising freshness of primitive cultures. Flamma Flamma emphasizes the purely human emotions at the cosmic transition, independent -and therefore respectful-of all known philosophies.”

Flamma Flamma -The Fire Requiem

Studio album 1st part of The Accacha Chronicles (American cover version) by Nicholas Lens
Released	1994
Genre	Contemporary classical
Length	75:24
Label	Sony Classical
Producer(s)	Nicholas Lens

[edit] American cover version

In 1995 Sony Classical USA released an American cover version of Flamma Flamma. Sony Classical USA considered that the European cover, based on the labyrinth of Chartres (France), (originally a huge painting by the Japanese/Belgian artist Peter Bal) was too intellectual and arty for the American market. The American cover with the double hermaphrodite-like angel face was designed by the New York artist Amy Guip. The change of cover was criticised in the American press.

[edit] Introduction

The wheel of life and death
always revolves the same,
always revolves the same...

The firegod Flammarius seems to be in a good mood. He flies quietly around, sitting on top of a burning meteor. He is on his way to Earth with his wife Maramnan and his divine retinue, the fireflies Lecka & Pecka and the epicenes Ismail, Stoycé and Luna-Serena. Cypher is around as well.
Everyone has his own meteorite and they fly more or less together. With some exaggeration, and if it weren't for the burning meteor, it might have been a family tableau at the Flemish coast on a Sunday afternoon.
As Earth becomes closer, Flammarius wonders how the human mortals will react to his visit. Could it possibly affect them emotionally? The divine company hears the mighty firegod muttering all manner of things to himself.
It has to be said: no prophet expected the inescapable fire treatment for the world so soon, although the signs were crystal clear: there was the worldwide dryness while the hydrophobic power of Cypher was increasing.
Flammarius smiles.
His time has come.
He stops flying and says: As we all know, we, the gods couldn't care less about time. However, to kill some time, I was thinking of having some entertainment. His listeners, this heavenly raggle-taggle crew of gods, spontaneously nod in agreement. And Flammarius continues: How will the mortals interpret the era of The Fire Requiem? Do they realize that it is not without reluctance that I, Flammarius, will burn them, those bone-dry humans, those highly inflammable mortals?!? Flammarius is perspiring, due to his own excitement. Maybe his sweat, negligently dropping in the Galaxy, will cause a couple of new Milky Ways. Yes, okay, thats fine, murmur the listening gods, but what about the promised entertainment?
Flammarius calms down and whispers confidentially: Imagine that were a bunch of ordinary people who go through the fear of death and fantasize about it. Put yourself in their shoes and feel free to use and to imitate all possible sensations and feelings that humans, confronted with death, experience: deep sadness, self-pity, jealousy, intense joy, revenge, fear etc., etc. In other words: Lets have some fun!

Almost everyone thinks its a great idea.
Only the naughty Stoycé suppresses a yawn. But secretly he’s happy as a sandboy as long as something happens.
The fireflies Lecka & Pecka decide to stick together. Immediately they start exercising in weeping. Thanks to their nasal voices they succeed quite well. It looks like great fun to play mourning women who ridicule death.
Cypher smiles from a distance. He will definitely be around. Won’t it be exciting to play a handsome mortal who’s facing death?
For centuries the lovely Luna-Serena has dreamt of getting into the real emotions of a female human being. Not surprisingly a quick decision is made.
At first the princely Ismail looks somewhat dismayed. Wouldn’t he have loved to play a girl as well?! Later on the boyish epicene is only too pleased to remain an androgyne.
The graceful Maramnan -who cherishes the gods as if they were her own children- resolves to join them in this challenging but innocent pastime.

And Flammarius?
Flammarius is amused to see how his suggestion gains a lot of support and giggles quietly. He lights a huge cigar, something he only does when he feels extremely happy. Flammarius doesn’t realize that the still burning match he throws away drops down on the fast approaching Earth and provokes a world fire the likes of which mortals have never seen before.

Definitely, beyond all doubt, this must be Flamma Flamma, The Fire Requiem.

[edit] Live- creations & adaptations

The American actor Frank Sheppard (picture) performed the part of the Gédé at the first creation of Flamma Flamma in a spookey abbey in Mechelen, Belgium in 1993.
In 1998 Flamma Flamma was created with 2.000 participants for an audience of 30.000 people in Adelaide, Australia at the opening night of the Adelaide Festival of Arts at Eldery Park (Festival intendant: Robin Archer).
fLamma fLamma (1995) is the title of a short film based on the titletrack of Flamma Flamma by N. Lens, directed by Jan Bultheel, produced by Pix & Motion. The film was shown on MTV and Arte. It was the first time Sony Classical had a music track of one of his artists playing on the popular MTV-channel.
The score has been used a numerous times for art-firework-performances and hundreds of dance and ballet creations all over the world. Lens, who considers himself (in interviews) more a fan of severe contemporary dance and moving theatre (Lens is Belgian born and has been influenced by the contemporary Flemish-Belgian dance scene), was not always happy with these adaptations.
More than ten years after the original creation Nicholas Lens rewrote the score completely. This new, operatic and more extended and purely acoustic version, which seems far more complex in rhythm and tonality (read: a-tonality), -published in 2005 by Schott Music International (Mainz/New York) as first part of 'The Accacha Chronicles'- did not premiere yet.

[edit] Tracklisting

1 Hic Iacet I (5:41)
2 Hic Iacet II (9:07)
3 Sumus Vicinae (4:57)
4 Tegite Specula (6:06)
5 Complorate Filiae (4:13)
6 Vale Frater (4:12)
7 Amice Mi (4:39)
8 Corpus Inimici (5:25)
9 Deliciae Meae (4:54)
10 Flamma Flamma (3:17)
11 Ave Ignis (4:42)
12 In Corpore (4:58)
13 Agnus Purus (5:55)
14 Ardeat Ignis (7:18)