percussion ensemble at Van- derbilt's Blair ... music. He also worked with.
Hollywood legend and math- ematician Hedy Lamarr to .... mission, 7:30 p.m.,
Belmont.
classical music x
THE TENNESSEAN
SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2013
spotlight
Vanderbilt group performs ‘impossible’
n
By MiChelle Jones For The Tennessean
early a century ago in a Parisian apartment too small for a piano, American composer George Antheil wrote a score for “Ballet mécanique,” a film by Fernand Léger with director Dudley Murphy. The film and music premiered in Vienna in 1924 but have rarely been presented together since then. That’s partly because Antheil’s score, with its complex rhythms and unusual elements, was incredibly difficult to perform. “It was 75 years ahead of its time,” said Michael Holland, artistic director of VORTEX, a percussion ensemble at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music. Now with the help of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface processing), robotics and mechanical pianos, live performances of Antheil’s music are possible, though still daunting. VORTEX will perform the work and present the accompanying film April 7 as part of a day dedicated to Antheil’s legacy. This will be the Southeastern premiere of the pairing and only the sixth screening with musicians and film together in the United States. George Antheil (1900-’59) wrote more than 300 pieces of music. He also worked with Hollywood legend and mathematician Hedy Lamarr to develop spread spectrum technology, a communications concept used in cell phones, among other things. Antheil’s most famous, or perhaps infamous project, however, might be “Ballet mécanique,” which captures the heady rhythms and sounds of the bustling mid-1920s. VORTEX’s performance will include eight mechanical pianos and 13 performers. The day will begin with a symposium from 1:30 to 5 p.m., which will include Tufts Uni-
APRIL
4-6
This Charlie Chaplin image is from “Ballet mécanique,” by filmmakers Léger/Murphy. COURTESY OF ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
IF YOU GO
What: “VORTEX and the Bad Boy,” a performance and screening of “Ballet méchanique” Where: Ingram Hall, Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music When: 8 p.m. April 7; symposium and other events begin at 1:30 p.m. Admission: Free Contact: 615-322-7651 or http:// blair.vanderbilt.edu
versity professor Paul Lehrman introducing a screening of “Bad Boy Makes Good,” his documentary about Antheil; Rice University art historian Gordon Hughes discussing the “Ballet mécanique” film; and French scientist Arshia Cont on music created by pairing musicians and artificial intelligence. A display of robots will be on Blair’s Ingram Plaza beginning at 6:45 p.m., while in the Ingram Lobby, people can experiment with techniques used in the 1924 film through an interactive experience organized by artists Benton-C Bainbridge, Greg Pond and Liz Scofield. The concert begins at 8 p.m. and includes Lehrman’s ar-
PINK MARTINI These eclectic musical travelers join the Nashville Symphony for a sensational night of cabaret, jazz and classic songs.
APRIL
UNDER THE SEA
11 a.m.
Featuring music of the sea, including songs from The Little Mermaid and Pirates of the Caribbean.
13
PIED PIPER CHILDREN’S SERIES
APRIL
14
2 p.m. ORGAN SERIES
APRIL
18-20
rangement of a Mendelssohn symphonic movement for eight mechanical pianos; “Double Music” (1941) by John Cage and Lou Harrison; as well as Brian Blume’s “Strands of Time” (2010) for field drum with audio. Following are excerpts from a conversation with Holland about the April 7 events: How did this day come together? I learned of this restoration of “Ballet Mécanique” in 1990 when there was a very substantial article in Wired magazine. I read about Paul Lehrman’s work and I knew without a doubt that the day would come when I would do this. From all accounts, from film archivists who have looked at this, this is a digital reproduction of the original print that was first screened in Austria in 1924. It’s really exciting to reconnect this film with the score after 90 years. The original score was almost an half an hour long … the film was about half as long as the original score. Paul Lehrman went in and very judiciously edited the original score so that what we have now wonderfully fits the film and that is why we’re able to do
this. This was not realized until 2001. What is a mechanical piano? Disklaviers are the modern equivalent of the player pianos of yesteryear. They, in this case, run off of MIDI processors. You’re seeing the actual mechanics of the piano work, just like you would with a 1925 player piano; the hammers are striking the keys. It is robotics by the very definition of it. It’s amazing. Tell me about the students in VORTEX. They are doing marvelous work, it’s really a treat to work with these students. They’re very bright and they catch on quick and that’s good. This piece has over 640 time signature changes, a lot of very unusual time signatures. Here’s an interesting fact: most of these are non-percussion majors. This piece requires unusual instruments — did you have to search for anything? My very good friend and colleague up in Minnesota sent me his Yugoslav ambulance siren. This thing is a screamer, it is fabulous. Antheil writes for the sound of three propellers; Lehrman sampled those, stood out in front of a Cessna. There’s a large wooden and small wooden propeller and a metal propeller. Anything else? This is probably said too often about too many things, but in this case, this is a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. When you see these mechanical pianos, these Disklaviers take off, your hair is going to be blown back. The other thing that is absolutely staggering is the speed at which these pianos are playing. There is no human that could ever touch this. The fireworks display that goes on with these eight pianos on stage is worth — right there, just for that — to come and see this program. This is wizardry on the piano that defies comprehension.
23
PRESENTED BY
MAY
2-4
MONDAY
Lipscomb University Department of Music presents Mozart & Schumann: The Piano Quartets: Free admission, 8 p.m., Lipscomb University, Ward Hall, 3901 Granny White Pike, Nashville. (615) 966-7620, mozartinmusiccity.com. Signature Series: Blair Brass Quintet: Free admission, 8 p.m., Vanderbilt University, Blair School of Music, Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall, 2400 Blakemore Ave., Nashville. (615) 322-7651, blair.vanderbilt.edu.
TUESDAY
Oratorio Chorus: Free admission, 7:30 p.m., Belmont University, McAfee Concert Hall, 2100 Belmont Blvd., Nashville. (615) 460-6408, www.belmont.edu/music.
WEDNESDAY
The Chamber Men, Lipscomb’s Chamber Quartet: 5 p.m., Lipscomb University, Ward Hall, 3901 Granny White Pike. (615) 966-5932, www.lipscomb.edu.
THURSDAY
Bank of America Pops Series: Pink Martini: Take a rollicking around-the-world musical adventure with these eclectic musical travelers. $49-$134, 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 1 Symphony Place, Nashville. (615) 687-6400, www.nashvillesymphony.org. Faculty Concert Series: Featuring the Belmont University Piano Faculty. Free admission, 7:30 p.m., Belmont University, McAfee Concert Hall, 2100 Belmont Blvd. (615) 460-6408, www.belmont.edu/music.
SCIENCE + FUN =
• GREAT FOR FAMILIES! •
CAMERON CARPENTER An amazing showman! You’ve never heard the Schermerhorn’s awe-inspiring pipe organ played like this before!
MOZART’S PIANO MASTERPIECE Featuring Mozart’s magnificent Ninth Piano Concerto.
CLASSICAL SERIES
SARAH SILVERMAN “The most outrageously funny woman alive” — Rolling Stone
DEBUSSY & BRAHMS Experience an enchanted evening when Nashville Symphony performs Debussy’s captivating Nocturnes and Brahms’ brilliant Fourth Symphony.
BUY TICKETS AT:
NashvilleSymphony.org 615.687.6400
Experience a laser show in the Sudekum Planetarium, take a
moonwalk in Space Chase, fight a body battle in BodyQuest, or scale the seven levels of the Adventure Tower. It’s a whole universe of SCIENCE + FUN for all ages!
www.adventuresci.org 800 Fort Negley Blvd | Nashville, TN 37203
9E
events
CLASSICAL SERIES
APRIL
■
