Subscribe
Search
ePaper
Newsletters
Subscribe
ePaper
Newsletters
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Search
The Rachel Report
blog

Taking the alphabet by the horns

Rarely is an instrumental concert as visually exciting as it is aurally, but that was the case at the Darmstadt Ensemble’s quirky recent performance

Rachel Corbett
1 November 2017
Share
Jeremy Gordon. Courtesy of Arts Brookfield

Jeremy Gordon. Courtesy of Arts Brookfield

Rarely is an instrumental concert as visually exciting as it is aurally, but that was the case at the Darmstadt Ensemble’s quirky recent performance for WNYC’s New Sounds Live at Brookfield Place, where the band played circular, zig-zagging and two-belled instruments made by the artist Carol Szymanski. “The horns are challenging to play as their shapes are not usual for brass instruments,” Szymanski said. The 26 horns, which Szymanski calls “phonemophones” are shaped like the letters of the alphabet, in a font she designed. WNYC host John Schaefer suggested using Szymanski’s horns in a selection of compositions by the early electronic music pioneer Pauline Oliveros. “I am a great fan of Pauline so was honoured to be part of her tribute,” Szymanski said. “I felt that my phonemophones, by being played with this orchestra with the ‘real’ instruments, had somehow come of age.”

The Rachel ReportDiaryMusic
Share
Subscribe to The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter for your daily digest of essential news, views and analysis from the international art world delivered directly to your inbox.
Newsletter sign-up
Information
About
Contact
Cookie policy
Data protection
Privacy policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription T&Cs
Terms and conditions
Advertise
Sister Papers
Sponsorship policy
Follow us
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
LinkedIn
© The Art Newspaper