Commissioned for the Kronos Quartet by CBC Radio Two and Radio-Canada's Espace Musique.

Like it's predecessors Cercle du Nord III is based on a combination of Inuit throat singing games, or Katajak and circle bowing techniques on string instruments. Cercle du Nord I is for string quartet alone, Circle du Nord II is for tape alone.  It seemed fitting that this most recent piece for both string quartet and tape would be the third installment in the series.  Cercle du Nord III can be performed either with string quartet and tape or a throat singer can improvise with the ensemble.

On the recorded soundtrack I attempt to capture the sonic environment of the Canadian far north. In it I use original sounds collected from various sources. A trip in March of 2005 to Inuvik, Northwest Territories provided many of the natural sounds of the north including birds, dogs, dog sledding, walking and running in the snow and wind.  As I was trying to capture these sounds I found the sounds of modern life infiltrating the pristine environment.  Snowmobiles, trucks driving on the ice roads and a pervasive hum of the Inuvik power plant.

I added the sound of a synthesizer, shakers and a grunting flute sound. These were recorded in my home studio.  Some of the vocal sounds were also recorded by myself and string quartet sounds were taken from personal studio recordings of my Inuit Throat song Games for String Quartet recorded at SUNY Buffalo in 2003.  Other sounds were recorded by students and faculty at the Acadia University School of Music in Wolfville, Nova Scotia including drums sounds by percussionist Mark Adam, moaning sounds by singer Stacie Dunlop, fiddle sounds by Beverly MacLean and the choir sounds of the Acadia University Chorus as directed by David Buley.  Permission was granted by André Brassard at Inukshuk records to use the singing of Inuit elders Alacie Tullaugaq and Lucy Amarualik.  Permission was given by Peter Skinner at CBC North in Yellowknife to use a short quote of the Tuktoyaktuk drummers and dancers and the Aklavik drummers and dancers from the album Mackenzie Music.

For much of the piece the string quartet hockets material between two or more voices, similar to the Katajak games played between two singers. This material has been deliberately left simple, both rhythmically and harmonically not only to emulate Katajak but also to lay a foundation in which a throat singer can improvise on top of. 

Fiddle music is big in the north.  I choose to highlight this by using a quasi fiddle tune passed between all the instruments early on. The sounds of an actual fiddler are included later on the sound track, albeit transformed through granular synthesis then put through a flange and reverb added.  Grinding sounds produced by circle bowing are incorporated and near the end one of the throat song games for string quartet is performed in its entirety.  As the piece progresses a synthesizer is added into the texture bringing a hint of electronica into the soundscape.

The soundscape of the north has changed.  I wanted to reflect this change. Rather than create an ethereal sonic landscape of the idyllic north I choose to look for something more fitting of our times.  Inuit culture has changed to adapt to modern life.  Cars, trucks and snowmobiles have replaced traditional transportation.  People have satellite T.V. and live in modern homes.  Rock, pop, heavy metal, fiddle and folk music dominates the musical landscape.

However all is not lost and tradition continues.  As the younger generation returns to their cultural roots they do so with a twist; bringing with them influences of popular culture they add to, and change their own musical heritage.  As it is around the world globalization is taking hold and the north is not excluded.  Tanya Tagaq is a perfect example; a pioneer in crossing cultural barriers.  Although she uses traditional Inuit vocal techniques she does so with very untraditional accompaniments.  You are just as likely to find her singing with a DJ, Icelandic superstar Björk or even the Kronos String Quartet as you are in a traditional setting.  I wanted to bring two worlds together, creating a bridge between our ideals off the north and the north that is, today. What a better way to do this than pair the Kronos Quartet with a northern soundtrack and throat singer Tanya Tagaq.

Funding provided by:

Travel funding provided by: