Sven Dam Meinild (b. 1984)
Saxophonist, Composer, Educator
My work is the conversation between two simultaneous streams: Nature and Existence. The world perceived and the world imagined.
I work with improvisation and composition in a variation of ways including graphic scores, text based scores, music for film and staged performance.
Curiosity has lead me to work with electronic music, both in eurorack format and utilising the vast possibilities of the computer.
My compositional work in general.
The composition is a point.
It is its own free point in the world.
It carries no direct meaning in itself.
Music is outside of language.
The composition as a point is a sphere. Like a cell. Or a planet. Inside the composition there are elements, points, lines, rhythms, melodies, pulse. There is an inner world that is connected to itself. Like points and contours in a landscape. The outer wall is permeable like a membrane or atmosphere. Elements can be absorbed and repelled.
There is a backdrop. The infinite basic element. It is that which lies beyond language and is eternal. It is love, pride, tenderness, humor, vulnerability and courage. It is our hemisphere. Our cell wall and atmosphere. It is constant.
This does not mean that we are always in contact with it. Often we cannot sense it. We don't give it a second thought. The music can help bring that connection to life.
The relationship between me, the work and the infinite basic element describes for me the meaning of the work.
The construction of the work is also a point. There are infinite points.
The musician is a point.
Points in time.
Relatives.
They are punctual.
Instantaneous.
The listener is also a point.
Find more yourself.
There must be a simultaneity. A juxtaposition of moments.
The relationship between the listener, the work and the infinite basic element describes the meaning of the work. The listener must be able to hear the work and sense the eternal, which is not in the work, but an infinite basic element, at the same time.
Dansk version
Mit kompositoriske arbejde generelt.
Kompositionen er et punkt.
Den er sit eget frie punkt i verden.
Den bærer ingen direkte mening i sig selv.
Musikken ligger uden for sproget.
Kompositionen som punkt er en sfære. Som en celle. Eller en planet. Inde i kompositionen er der elementer, punkter, linier, rytmer, melodier, puls. Der er en indre verden som står i forbindelse med sig selv. Som punkter og konturer i et landskab. Ydervæggen er gennemtrængelig som en membran eller atmosfære. Elementer kan blive optaget og frastødt.
Der er et backdrop. Det uendelige grundelement. Det er det der ligger uden for sproget og er evigt. Det er kærlighed, stolthed, ømhed, humor, sårbarhed og mod. Det er vores himmelhvælv. Vores cellevæg og atmosfære. Det er konstant.
Det betyder ikke at vi altid er i kontakt med det. Ofte kan vi ikke fornemme det. Vi skænker det ikke en tanke. Musikken kan være med til at vække den forbindelse til live.
Relationen mellem mig, værket og det uendelige grundelement beskriver for mig værkets mening.
Opførelsen af værket er også et punkt. Der er uendelige punkter.
Musikeren er et punkt.
Punkter i tid.
Beslægtede.
De er punktuelle.
Øjeblikkelige.
Lytteren er også et punkt.
Find selv på flere.
Der må være en samtidighed. Et sammenfald af øjeblikke.
Forholdet mellem lytteren, værket og det uendelig grundelement beskriver værkets mening. Det vil sige at lytteren skal kunne høre værket og fornemme det evige, som altså ikke er i værket, men et uendeligt grundelement, på samme tid.