Contra Tempus

Dutch Wind Ensemble, Percussion Group of Amsterdam, Amsterdam String Quartet conducted by Edo de Waart.
The basic material of Contra Tempus was a series of twelve different tones, which, besides the least tonal intervals also contains both the major and the minor triad. It could be used for a new kind of tonality, where the there is no tonal function, but where tonal harmonies can occur. This also applies to the Mass of Machaut. This Mass is not tonal, not in the slightest way. The triads are still quite rare. Doubling the fifth, octave or third is preferred over triads.
 
Contra Tempus consists of five movements, which merge into one another without a break. The term "against time" refers both to the duration of the components (ratio 6 : 4: 5 : 8 : 7) as to the musical material itself. Contra Tempus also means musical material from different centuries, a
fragment is shortened because another fragment is extended, also accelerated towards slowed down, two different tempos simultaneously. Stravinsky, with his hand on my shoulder behind my table, looked on while working, and had the last word himself ...
Louis Andriessen
 

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