Program Notes

In Portuguese, "fagote" means bassoon; hence, the title Metafagote signifies an exploration of self-referential music that embraces the bassoon's idiomatic, physical, and timbral nuances while also seeking to push the boundaries, deconstruct, and transcend the instrument's expressive capabilities. This piece delves into the essence of the bassoon, utilizing recognizable instrumental elements like percussive ricochets, multiphonics, drones, and glissandi, all within a self-similar musical construction.

Through amplification and spatialization, the listener is enveloped in an imaginary, compound, and orchestral metabassoon experience. The soloist's performance leaves a sonic trace, which is then captured, transformed, and projected through loudspeakers, creating an immersive and transformative sonic journey.

Metafagote embodies a harmonious interplay between the distinct characteristics of the bassoon and innovative musical techniques, ultimately resulting in a captivating exploration of the instrument's expressive potential, elevating it to new artistic heights.

— Felipe Lara