06/07/07
Frieze Music 2007 announced
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Frieze Music 2007 Announced: Glenn Branca at London’s Roundhouse
Frieze Art Fair announced today that the Frieze Music presentation for 2007 will be a performance of Glenn Branca’s epic Symphony No.13: Hallucination City for 100 electric guitars. Tickets go on sale today. Glenn Branca will be directing the performance on Friday, 12 October at London’s Roundhouse.
A piece of transformative beauty, it has been described by the Village Voice as “Branca’s most impressive work ever.”
Glenn Branca, who started out as a member of NY punk outfit Theoretical Girls, began composing for electric guitar ensembles in the early 80s. His ensembles have featured members of Sonic Youth, Swans and Helmet.
Hallucination City was premiered in the World Trade Centre Plaza, New York, in 2001 to overwhelming public acclaim.
Symphony No.13 is in four movements; March, Anthem, Drive and Vengeance. Glenn Branca’s music is not conventional in any sense and in this piece the guitars use the basis of only two chords. Players need to be able to read basic staff notation and have the ability to follow a part measure for measure. The playing technique includes plenty of double strumming and chording.
Over the next few months Branca will closely supervise the recruitment of the 100 guitarists who will all be unpaid volunteers. Interested players, who must own their own guitar and small sized amp, can contact Branca at , marking their email LONDON. In the run up to the performance those chosen to take part will be sent sections of the piece every few weeks to learn but the composer stipulates that these do not need to be memorized. The volunteers must be available for two day-long rehearsals and, of course, the event itself.
Branca’s music has been used for film and performance by a diverse group of internationally renowned companies including; Alvin Ailey Company, Peter Greenaway, San Francisco Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theater and The Wooster Group.
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Editors’ Notes
Glenn Branca Symphony No.13: Hallucination City for 100 electric guitars
Friday 12 October 2007
9pm, The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London
Doors open 7.30pm
Tickets £25 plus booking fee
http://www.livenation.co.uk; http://www.seetickets.com; http://www.roundhouse.org.uk
Credit Cards tel: 0870 400 0688 (24hr)
Roundhouse tel: 0870 389 1846
Symphony No.13 volunteers must be able to provide their own guitars and a small/medium amp. They must be available for two, day-long, rehearsals at The Forum, Kentish Town, London, on 9 October and 10 October and for a lengthy sound check and performance on 12 October at the Roundhouse, London.
Frieze Music is created by Dan Fox and Steve Mackey, produced and co-curated in 2007 by Paul Smith in association with Live Nation.
Frieze Music is the off-site music programme of Frieze Art Fair, one of the world’s best known and most influential international contemporary art fairs. Frieze Art Fair takes place in Regent’s Park, London 11-14 October 2007.
