Emotions are fuel for those who write music. The pandemic was a tragic event but the benevolent alchemy of someone like Alexander Held is that he is able to take this and compose beautiful music during it. When approached by Germany’s famed Cologne Guitar Quartet to write an original piece for the group to perform at this year’s Soundlinks Festival, Alexander produced one of the most contemplative and sonically adventurous compositions of the entire festival. Known for his embrace of modern sounds, Mr. Held has sculpted a position for himself as a contemporary composer who expands boundaries and questions the limitations of the medium. Balancing the best of the past and future, Alexander Held is an example of where “legit” music is going and how it can embrace “popular” music concepts. Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be given to a composer is when other music artists approach them with a request to write bespoke works as a sign of confidence in their talent.
Known as a sonically adventurous composer with an affinity for technology, it was no surprise that during Mr. Held’s early discussions with the members of Cologne Guitar Quartet the use of pedals and effects was prominent. Given complete artistic license to envision a musical statement for the group, Alexander felt instant inspiration. He remarks, “When I got to writing the piece, I had a very clear Idea of the musical language that I wanted to present; a somber piece that utilized harmonics and a freeze pedal in combination with a volume pedal to have glassy notes emerge out of silence. That was the main approach for the vast majority of the piece. After having written four melodies that could all be played together as counterpoint, I started to stretch out those ideas and create my piece ‘Prism’ with it.” The harmonics and pedals which are essential to “Prism” morph the sound of the electric guitar into something which sounds quite interesting and different form the norm. With an artistic nod to the Space Rock aesthetic of Pink Floyd, “Prism” creates the auditory sensation of staring out into the vastness of the cosmos while floating in zero gravity. A backing track was created to accompany the guitar ensemble and expound on the sonic depth of the piece. Alexander stipulates that a composition such as this takes an inordinate amount of design and preparation. He notes, “I tried to do many things that go against traditional guitar playing which mainly involve harmonics and outboard effects. I had to plan out the piece very carefully, envisioning the resulting sounds since the notation only indicated the harmonic points on the guitar, not the resulting pitches. However, it is always important to do some fine adjustments after the initial run-through of a piece. There are often bits and pieces that need fine adjustments in order to work the way that they are intended.”
While the cheers from the audience and well-wishers at the Soundlinks Festival in reaction to “Prism” were encouraging, Alexander Held finds the most meaningful compensation in being a part of the music community and states, “Having your ideas come to life not just with the help of friends but players whom are the top of their field is extraordinary.” This single statement exhibits why Alexander Held is regarded as such a important composer among his peers. His dedication to the evolution of the careers of others through contributing his personal style and artistry is both altruistic and a reason for his growing notoriety in the industry. While still quite young, Mr. Held has established himself as a professional who aspires to create his own path rather than a maintenance of the status quo or of tradition…and manages to do so while being praised by critics, the public, and his peers.
Writer: Mike Winston