CD – Releases

Mathias Sorof – Stick Solo

released as Vinyl-LP in 1988 – released as CD in 2004

Contents:

  1. L’Ile d’Or
  2. Vinho Dio
  3. Ertrunkene Täler
  4. Am großen Strom
  5. Sandteufel
  6. Tom Bombadil
  7. Ci Flanco
  8. Une Facette de Soleil
  9. Innovative Possibilities Part 1 & 2

All compositions by Mathias Sorof – lyrics by Libena Karsch

Textinfo from the CD-Booklet:

With his Debut-LP “Stick Solo”, stickartist Mathias Sorof performs as virtuoso for the first time on a new instrument. The artist was born in 1956 and studied music education. He is currently living near Braunschweig/Germany, performs as guitarist and works as a freelance musician.

The experimental processes possible with the E-Guitar led him in 1978 to the playing technique presently well-known under the term “tapping”. “Tapping” is a special guitar-playing technique, which does not pick the strings, but uses the finger to hammer the strings down onto the frets in order to produce a tone. With the use of this method, it is possible to play melodies, chord-changes and rhythms with the left and the right hand independently, similar to playing the piano.

This playing technique is the basis of the stick-idea Mathias Sorof discovered in 1980 when he met with the inventor of the stick, E.Chapman from Los Angeles. Because of its 10-strings and its wider tone range, this new instrument offered more possibilities than the guitar. With this technique, each hand plays on the stick independently, in each case on 5 strings. In this way it is possible, to play an ostinato bass or chord-tones with the left hand and simultaneously melodies and chord changes with the right hand, similar to the left hand bass and right hand improvisation used in „Une Facette de Soleil”. Each composition is recorded in one take, which demonstrates the piano-like versatility of the stick.

With this playing technique and instrument the artist creates a new sound, which shows the independence of left and right hand, and which makes the rhythmic, countrapunctal coexistence and togetherness of tone-lines pliable. Resulting from his own experimentation on the guitar, Sorof has, since 1980, developed an independent style on the stick, based on his own special tuning (left hand in 5ths from Kontra C upwards – right hand in guitar-tuning without the low E-String).

The existing LP is a presentation of selected compositions, which were created not only by dealing with the playtechnically expressive possibilities, but primarily with the musical innovations in the time between 1981 and 1987.

With the exception of the compositions “Ertrunkene Täler ” and “Ci flanko” all titles have been played on the Stick with its (Sorof)Tuning. For “Ci Flanko” a special tuning has been developed.

“Ertrunkene Täler” is the only piece that is not played on the Stick, but on an E-guitar using the Tapping-technique and the characteristic independence of left and right hand. This track is recorded in one take without overdubs.

The young singer Libena Karsch, born in 1966, interprets with delicate and intricate feeling the two compositions for voice and stick “Vin ho Dio” and “Ci Flanko”. Likewise, the female artist also lives near Braunschweig and works as a freelance guitarist and vocalist. For her songtexts she chose the world´s language ESPERANTO:

Recorded in GROSOR-soundhaus in autumn 1987

Zwischen Hell und Dunkel – Allegorien des Lebens

released in 2003 by  Tap & Scat records

Under the headline Zwischen Hell und Dunkel -Mathias Sorof Projects the composer Mathias Sorof combines some of his compositions and works. He begins his sequence of compositions with Allegorien des Lebens. The triptych is originally composed for soprano, overtone vocals, Chapman Stick, tapping guitar and electronic sounds and dance performance. Voice, instrument und dance build a three-fold picture with 4 musical pieces for each element. The triptych reflects 12 situations of life. The listener’s individual perception and interpretation ist programmatically left open.

Executive performers: Libena Karsch / soprano, overtone voice – Mathias Sorof /Chapman Stick, tapping guitar, electronic sounds.

Allegorien des Lebens/Allegory of Life

  1. Erwachen/(Awakening)
  2. Bewegung /(Movement)
  3. Angst/(Fear)
  4. Ich/(Myself)
  5. Maske/(Mask)
  6. Kampf/(Fight)
  7. Ruhe/(Silence)
  8. Macht/(Might)
  9. Dual/(Dual)
  10. Zweifel/(Doubt)
  11. Ritual/(Ritual)
  12. Hoffnung/(Hope)
  13. Reprise/(Reprise)

 

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