A spectre is haunting the world – the spectre of music. Music today is often simply perceived as commodity and is reduced to the functional.
The digital revolution has seemingly left music in an eternal return. Since its beginnings, music has fought against such limitations by allowing us to experience a space beyond the everyday. Whether composed or improvised, whether soaring ecstatically or mathematically arranging time – music’s spiritual moments deal with transcendence in all cultures.
The magic of sound builds a bridge to those spaces that elude language and leave the natural sciences baffled. Although we can talk about it, only a moment’s soul actually brings us together. Music transcends the borders to a deeper understanding of transience and a conscious experience of life: We All Get It In The End.
John Cage | Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano [1/5] httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=8fPSz-o4zzY
Even today, the memento mori of the Middle Ages resounds in blues, folk, metal and avant-garde music. The Ars Nova Ensemble passes through this last gate into the realm of luminous shadows with liturgically inspired choral compositions by György Ligeti, Jonathan Harvey and Claude Vivier. Albert Ayler was also searching for magical sounds when he conferred a loud voice to the African diaspora’s culture of remembrance with Ghosts.
Claude Vivier: Wo bist du Licht! [1/2] httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=WGSBNevgPeg
Evan Parker & Kammerflimmer Kollektief will transform this ascension into the tonal here-and-now in a unique cooperation. The Romanian composers Ana-Maria Avram and Iancu Dumitrescu employ computers for this journey, just as science fiction uses technology: as a medium into other dimensions and unknown spheres. In collaboration with the ensemble mosaik, this magick will be conjured into being for Lux Aeterna with the premier of their commissioned pieces Einfühlung and Nouvel Ascent II.
Iancu Dumitrescu conducting in Conway Hall, London
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=c-7aJAwBoY8
PopMusic is also propelled by such epiphanies, which transform sound into a bodily experience and lead all synapses to one certitude. Past, present and future form the promise of a better life in freedom. Dietmar Dath situates this musical metaphysics in cultural theory with his lecture Woran wir Menschen merken werden, daß wir gestorben sind. Mark Fisher follows this up with his Birth, School, Work, Death and Music, in which he uses Jacques Derrida’s concept of Hauntology to describe developments in digital culture that use nostalgic codes to enter new spaces and break through reality.
Vindicatrix | Hey Baybee
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=KHK-J5PwDYg
Mordant Music and Vindicatrix transpose this coup into the ghostly. Berghain’s world-renowned Funktion-Onemsound system will play host to the proceedings.
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LUX AETERNA / The Transcendence of Music
10-11.03.2011 | 20:00 CET
Berghain | Am Wriezener Bahnhof | 10243 Berlin/Friedrichshain
http://www.aeternal-music.de
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