Exceptional event in Nantes, the legendary composer Christian Wolff will be in Nantes to propose a set of pieces for piano and orchestra, he will be accompanied by one of the greatest contemporary music performers John Tilbury. Keith Rowe will participate with its prepared guitar, Wolff himself playing the guitar and finally ONsemble (contemporary music ensemble and electronics Nantes / St Nazaire) will perform the pieces for orchestra.
This concert is co-organized with Apo33 and Instants Fertile Festival in St Nazaire.
CHRISTIAN WOLFF
Youngest member of the New York School, Christian Wolff is part of the group of composers of the 1950s, alongside John Cage and Morton Feldman, who redesigned performance and writing music. At the time, Wolff was particularly interested in the uncertainty principle applied to the composition. A true pioneer, he writes random scores using symbols, unleashing a radical interpretation on the part of the musician. The performance itself becomes a social act, its purpose is not simple reproduction but a liberated interpretation of its traditional codes. His writing took on a political dimension when he met Cornelius Cardew and Frederic Rzewski in the 60s. He has written more than 200 pieces and still holds, at age 80, performances with his new compositions.
JOHN TILBURY
He masterfully interprets the music of the greatest composers of his time and he improvises with AMM … John Tilbury interpretations are an important reference to the music of today. But he is above all a sensitive pianist making use of the sumptuous art of suspense and fluidity.
KEITH ROWE
British artist living in Nantes for over 20 years. Artist, painter and musician.
At the dawn of the 60s, fascinated by the prepared piano by John Cage, but also by visual artists like Jackson Pollock, Marcel Duchamp. Keith Rowe began to apply these unprecedented processes to guitar “Like Pollock, I had to give up the technique “. Influenced by painting he began to translate drawings by Paul Klee into guitar tablature. His new explorations led him to a design of the instrument as essentially a sound source, in particular through the prepared guitar.
ONSEMBLE
Ensemble of electronic and contemporary music evolving between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire bringing together musicians from all sides, instrumentalists, improvisers , composers , whose objectives are to play, create and interpret works from the last forty years.
Julien Ottavi (Percussions), Julien Héraud (Saxophone), Fabrice Arnaud-Crémon (Clarinette), Clara Bodet (Clarinettes), Carine Léquyer (Harpe), Jordi Prieto (Trombone basse), Benjamin Jarry (violoncelle), Sarah Clenet (Contrebasse), Jenny Pickett (Guitare électrique), Romain Papion (Basse), Jérôme Joy (Basse)
Program for two concerts
Concert Nantes – Conservatoire
Concert St Nazaire – Instants Fertiles
Photos documentation by Brian Olewnick (thanks!)
