DBW25 could be the name of a part or component of a complex mechanism or system. Of a star or gene. Of an exploratory mission in an undiscovered universe. There are many ‘stories’ to tell about the acronym, but let’s stick with the idea that DBW25 is a wander, a journey through the various constellations of the CMT universe.
An ‘expanding universe’ pulsing with the energy of artistic creation. It is part of a vaster and infinite universe, that of Music: enjoyment, expression, communication, art, tool, element in the construction of identities, factor in human development and much more.
CMT (Companhia de Música Teatral) has been exploring these fertile territories for around 25 years, a derisory time on the scale of the Universe, a remarkable time on the scale of the artistic life of a collective made up of very different people. Over these 25 years, music and words have met in performing pieces, participatory projects and installations. Some of these ‘encounters’ have been recorded on CDs and made available online, but many others have not. This was the first criterion that guided the choice of the pieces we decided to record on DBW25. The second criterion was to make the ‘journey’ in the Pianoscópio, the ‘laboratory-sound factory’ that we invented several years ago and which has taken us to many imaginary places. However, we hadn’t yet tried listening to the Pianoscópio’s ‘sound language’ while revisiting songs or poems from more usual ‘territories’. The prospect of being transported to other places interested us. We also thought that the traveling piece should have ‘windows’ to some visual memories. But only of projects that had been ‘mapped’ in the sound journey and according to ‘principles’ that we understood to be common to musical and visual composition. More than an exercise in ‘history or musicology’ it should allow us to imagine. This was the criterion for choosing the images. Finally, we wanted DBW25 to be an art-fact, and for the ‘cartography-travel-piece’ to be an invitation to discover, to create a playful relationship with an object impregnated with sensitive memories and this led us to what you now have in your hands. Bon voyage.
