City Symphonies Out of DoorsText of Light
| Nov ’09 |
| 13 |
| 7:00 pm |
Acclaimed avant-garde ensemble Text of Light–composer and saxophonist Ulrich Krieger, guitarist and composer Alan Licht, turntablist and visual artist Christian Marclay, and Sonic Youth co-founder Lee Ranaldo–presents a live musical score to “Berlin: Symphony of a Great City” (Walter Ruttmann, 1927), a silent feature-length “city symphony” film that captures urban life through a vibrant mix of documentary footage, abstract visual compositions, and impressionistic montage techniques. Text of Light’s loosely structured improvisational score will feature intonarumori (Futurist noise machines), among many other instruments. The live performance to Berlin will be preceded by a screening of the short film “Manhatta” (Charles Sheeler and Paul Strand, 1921), another city symphony that depicts a day in New York City, and the entire event will take place on the exciting new High Line.
Text of Light was formed in 2001 with the idea to perform improvised music to the films of Stan Brakhage and other members of the American Cinema avante garde of the 1950s-60s (Brakhage’s film “Text of Light” was the premiere performance and namesake of the group). The original premise was to improvise (not ‘illustrate’) to films from the American Avante-Garde (50s-60s etc), an under-known period of American filmic poetics. Members of the group include Lee Ranaldo and Alan Licht (gtrs/devices), Christian Marclay and DJ Olive (turntables), William Hooker (drums/perc), Ulrich Krieger (sax/electronics), and most recently Tim Barnes (drums/perc). Various combinations of these players attend ‘Text’ gigs, depending on individual schedules, so the group takes on various permutations—sometimes all members participate, sometimes not.
Curated by Lana Wilson and Esa Nickle. Co-presented by Performa and Friends of the High Line with Rooftop Films. Sponsored by Viper Studios.
Special thanks to Anne Morra, MoMA.
Tickets $15 / $12 Performa Members at http://thehighline.org/events/all/2009/11/city-symphonies-out-of-doors-text-of-light
