Michael Nyman and Didgeridoo

Yesterday we went to Sydney Opera House cause Michael Nyman was playing there with his band, and it's not a sight to miss. But the cherry on top arrived after the interval.

As the people shuffled around, the crew set up a mic and a didgeridoo, and my body tingled with anticipation. When the lights dimmed, a large man with black curly hair walked on stage in place of Michael, and the crowd was not sure to clap or not. The man walked to the didgeridoo, with a hint of modesty, and the crowd decided that he was a performer and that they should clap. So they did.

Michael Nyman did come out after the man, said a few words, and the rest is a beautiful blur of the symphony they performed afterwords. The man sang aboriginal chants, accompanied by electric guitar and didgeridoo, and the spirits of Australia gathered to listen.

Program
Wonderland (1999)
~ Mollly
~ Eddie
~ Nadia

Prospero's Books (1991)
~ Prospero's Curse
~ Yellow Sands
~ Miranda

The Libertine (2005)
~ The Mistress
~ Against Constancy
~ A Satire Against Reason

Water Dances 4& 8 (1992)

..... Interval .....

The Piano (1993)
~ Big My Secret
~ Silver-Fingered Fling
~ The Heart Asks Pleasure First

The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)
~ Chasing Sheep
~ Eye for Optical Theory

Drowning by Numbers (1998)
~ Trysting Field/Sheep and Tides
~ Wheelbarrow Walk
~ Wedding Tango
~ Fish Beach
~ Knowing the Ropes

I think the didgeridoo man improvised along the way, and I was not sure whether it was sweat or tears that moistened his face.

This one was one of my favorites:

Alister Spence Trio and Jon Hassell

Yesterday was a happy day. After a day-trip to Blue Mountains we headed to the Sydney Opera House to enjoy some "new music." I wouldn't call it "new age" as this term has acquired a negative rep in the recent days, so we'll just stick to "new." New, because it's made possible by the developments in technology, endless variations of filters and effects to create the mood.

The opening was performed by Alister Spence Trio and it was a lot of fun to watch the musicians make love to their instruments. Literally. They found very imaginative ways to make sounds, like using sticks to rub on strings and dangling objects over the drums. Here is a video of the melody, recorded earlier.



Then Jon Hassell came out with a very serious face. He played the entire show in one go, almost as one track, and when someone attempted to applaud he waved his hand in a command to stop, lol.

Animusic Universe

Is this a new form of Art or is it just entertainment? You decide...

The guys at Animusic call themselves "content creation company focused exclusively on computer animation of music." When I saw their music clip on PBS, it made me stop and look again, my brain trying to comprehend what I was seeing. At first I thought it was a clever musical instrument, then I noticed all the arms and little hooks and finally the full picture emerged. I instantly thought of abstract Art and Picasso. See for yourself.

Resonant Chamber




Pipe Dream




Aqua Harp




Harmonic Voltage




Frets on fire



You can literally see the music. Every instrument can be tracked down to an animation, and as the ear hears a new sound enter the scene, the curious eye searches for the corresponding motion.

The creative world around us is transformed by the unlimited visualization power of the digital media. When does an animation become something significant enough to be called Art?