Mark Fell is undoubtedly one of the leading figures in experimental electronic music. His approach to composition is characterized by the use of sound not only as a means of artistic expression but also as a tool for theoretical reflection. A composer, sound artist, and theorist, Fell has developed a sonic language that explores the boundaries between perception, rhythm, and technology, often breaking musical conventions to create unusual listening experiences. His aesthetic is based on the use of algorithms and generative systems, which allow him to construct complex and fragmented rhythmic sequences, often in continuous contrast with minimized or even absent melodies. This approach places him at a boundary zone between radical minimalism and a more conceptual exploration of sound, where every musical element is treated as a fragment to be manipulated and constantly redefined.
Fell is known for his ability to investigate the perception of time and space, using technology to destabilize expectations and propose a renewed perception of rhythms and sound structures. His compositions, ranging from music for electronic devices to collaborations with artists from various fields, emphasize the creation process, focusing on how sounds intersect and transform in real time. His music does not seek to evoke immediate emotions but rather stimulates deep reflection on the nature of listening itself and the relationship between the sonic object and the listener. In the second part, Mark Fell will present a live set that will highlight the tensions between order and chaos, between algorithmic rules and the unpredictability of the musical experience.
The evening will be introduced by Milanese Sandro Mussida with his work Huit, a composition that blends orchestral tradition with electronics, in a version specifically created for string quartet and live electronics. Huit is an evolution of Mussida’s work, a continuous exploration between form and force, visible and invisible, playing with sound dynamics and their relationship to space. The electronic material that permeates the work originates from his previous work Genius Loci (2023), a composition conceived for modular synths and set in an open space, performed by Nicola Ratti. The result is a piece that draws its energy and tension from an ongoing interplay between the purity of the acoustic sound of the strings and the artificiality of the electronics, in a dialogue that challenges conventions and invites the listener to an immersive and conscious listening experience.
In this sense, Sandro Mussida’s quartet fits within the contemporary music genre that promotes active listening, where the audience is invited not only to perceive the sound but to understand its complexity, context, and interaction with space. His work moves on the boundary between rigorous experimentation and tradition, using technology not as an end but as a means to explore and amplify the expressive possibilities of instruments and sound. The composition Huit fully embodies this vision, offering a new perspective on the relationship between sound and its performance context.
The Acusmonium Sator of San Fedele, where Huit will be performed, provides sound diffusion technology that enhances the spatial and dynamic dimension of the work, giving electronic compositions a sensory immediacy that could not otherwise be achieved. The acusmonium is, in fact, a system of distributed speakers that allows precise management of sound spatialization, creating a three-dimensional listening experience that enhances the relationship between sound, space, and time.