The Mud Cavaliers
'SON((O))SPHERE' ('The Metropolis and the Myths') featured performances by the Mud Cavaliers & Guests and took place in four different European capitals, including Moscow. The performances make the surrounding sounds and landscapes of the city in question their subject
The performances presented the challenge of intuitive composition, exploring the relationship between music of different genres (contemporary music, free jazz, noise, electronic and world music). An hour-long 'sound spectacle' also included texts in several languages, spontaneous improvisations as well as recordings of city sounds and musical quotations from Karol Szymanowski's musical cycle "Myths". Overall, the aim was to sketch a musical landscape of Moscow. The instruments involved are traditional (acoustic) and electronic, resulting in a composition that forms a colourful, modern fresco.
Compositions reflect the character of the selected cities and confront several issues related to life in those cities. Hence the tripartite concept: 'Shape' (illumination, form and structure), 'Allure' (sensuality, impressibility), 'Separateness' (aloneness, closure, isolation). Each of the three parts include quotations from Karol Szymanowski's three "Myths", entitled, respectively: "Spring of Arethusa", "Dryads" and "Pan, Narcissus". An important section of the performance will be dedicated to Warsaw (through a city soundscape and song quotations), as well as the city in question. The performances aim to evoke a feeling of unity in diversity. Szymanowski's work was featured as a shared, emotive reference point. The performances result in a kind of database of sounds and images from each of the cities.
"The Mud Cavaliers" musicians were accompanied by 2-3 performers from each city. A final Sonosphere performance will be held in either Warsaw (to commemorate the end of the Polish presidency) or Copenhagen - to mark the beginning of the Danish presidency of the EU council.
"The Mud Cavaliers" was established in 2001. The group specialises in live improvisation in 'found' and unusual outdoor spaces such as forests or fields. Their music is characterised by free jazz and spontaneous composition- hence the band's eclectic mix of members: they range from experienced composers to musicians. Their diversity makes for truly unique musical performances.
"The Mud Cavaliers":
Jerzy Kornowicz – piano
Krzysztof Knittel – electronic media
Ryszard Latecki – trumpet, harmonium, percussion instruments
Mieczysław Litwiński – vocals, violin, cithern
Tadeusz Sudnik – electronic media
Tadeusz Wielecki – double bass
Andrzej Kijanowski – sound projection
Cinemanual – special active projections
Sonosphere is organised by GAM. GAM's basic mission is to create performances of new music based on works written over the last 15-20 years by contemporary composers. They also aim to initiate interdisciplinary activities that blend both musical and visual aspects. GAM closely cooperates with contemporary composers, artists, choreographers, directors, animators, word and theater masters. The Gallery of Actual Music Festival - gamensemble
For more information, see:
www.sonophere.eu (under construction)
www.youtube.com/user/SonosphereWarsaw
Date: 4th of October, 2011 (7pm)
Venue: Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, Moscow
Organised by: Polish Society for Contemporary Music, Polish Cultural Institute in Moscow, Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, GAM
Project cofinanced by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.
Source: Adam Mickiewicz Institute