On Sunday May 10th you will have the chance to hear Stevie Wishart’s piece ‘Europa’ live at La Bellone, a French-speaking venue for the performing arts in the heart of Brussels.
The pianist Andrew Wise, the bass-baritone Conor Biggs, Stevie herself on hurdy-gurdy, and I will be presenting ‘Europa’ as part of Composite#8 : a collection of short, diverse performances by 5 very different groups.
‘Europa’ is a Music Relevant production. Music Relevant aims to increase the involvement of new ‘classical’ music in other areas of life. By bringing ‘Europa’ to a house of the performing arts we are encouraging closer links between contemporary music and other contemporary art forms and we are taking it out of its classical setting.
Composite#8 begins at 19h on Sunday May 10th. ‘Europa’ itself is not likely to begin before 21h15. Reservation is strongly recommended. La Bellone, maison du spectacle, 46 rue de Flandre, 1000 Brussels. Tel: +32 (0)2 513 33 33, fax: +32 (0)2 502 61 59. info@bellone.be, www.bellone.be. Click here for more info and practical details.
In the publicity blurb introducing Kornél Mundruczó’s ‘Frankenstein-Project’ (Kunstenfestivaldesarts this May) it says that his piece is ‘set on the edges of society and thematises our hypocrisy’ because ‘we are fascinated by the woman with three breasts but look the other way if we see a beggar’.
This made me ponder why we look away when we see a beggar.
In my opinion it is not hypocrisy but conscience that makes us look away. We feel partially responsable, as a member of society, for the beggar. We therefore feel we should do something about it, but we see no real solution (let’s face it, giving small change to a beggar is hardly a long-term solution), so it’s easier for us to deny the problem, and we turn away.
In contrast, we feel no guilt concerning the three-breasted woman; she leaves our conscience untroubled. If the existence of the beggar left our conscience entirely unstirred we would be able to look and be fascinated in much the same way. Unless we were prevented from staring by pity or tact, of course.
From time to time throughout my career I have had the pleasure of singing at weddings. This weekend, thanks to an expression of interest, I sorted out and dusted down my ‘Repertoire for Ceremonies’. Dashing up and down runs in Handel’s ‘Rejoice’ (Messiah) I was reminded how a piece can give just the right lift to a formal ceremony. And, how a contemplative Pie Jesu, for example, can unlock emotions and give more room to grieve at a funeral.
If you’re interested, I’m available for communions, baptisms, bar mitzvahs, bas mitzvahs, funerals, weddings – and hey, why not divorces too? A little bit of music as you leave the court room? Of course, I’d let the happy (?) couple choose the musical tone. ‘Rejoice’ might work for some. Or something more funereal, perhaps? Dona nobis pacem?
Well, it’s taken a while, but I’m nearly there. My article on how to perform ‘Organum Duplum’ (the earliest form of polyphony that Western music can boast) is almost ready. Watch this space…
