“Eastman’s stated aim with Femenine was to please listeners, saying of the piece that ‘the end sounds like the angels opening up heaven . . . should we say euphoria?’” –Mary Jane Leach
Soup will be served.
Koncert produced by John Chantler for Edition Festival with support from Stockholm Stad, Musikverket and RANK.
The music of Julius Eastman (1940-90) is enjoying an on-going period of rediscovery. Known best in the past for his work with figures like Peter Maxwell Davies, Arthur Russell and Meredith Monk, today his own formidable compositions draw increasing admiration.
A 1974 recording of Femenine performed by the S.E.M. Ensemble was released in 2016 to much critical acclaim by the Finnish label Frozen Reeds. Joyous, insistent, and immersive, Femenine bathes the listener in surges of tonal colour from intertwining winds, piano, violin, pitched percussion, synthesizer and – uniquely – the composer’s own invention of mechanised sleigh bells, which provide the 72-minute piece with its characteristic pulse.
Apartment House was created by the cellist Anton Lukoszevieze in 1995. Under his direction it has become a major exponent of avant-garde and experimental music from around the World. Disregarding style, fashion and hip things, and forging nowhere with a zeitgeistian zeal, Apartment House’s performances have included many UK and World premieres of music by a wide variety of composers.