“We didn’t just see something. We heard something. We were immersed in something truly extraordinary…. Paraorchestra should be applauded for having something truly original to say about what orchestras can be. It is a demonstration of how we can move forward.”
Sir Nick Serota, Chair, Arts Council England on The Nature of Why
The orchestra is a thing of wonder, and of mystery. The Anatomy of the Orchestra: Refractions and Abstractions provides a unique opportunity to climb inside this perfect team and explore its inner workings.
In this part installation, part concert, performed in the Museum Atrium, audiences are invited to wander the ensemble, creating their own sonic mix, getting up close and personal with musicians as they play.
This show explores the centuries-old yet wild panache of Baroque composer JS Bach, and an abstracted, modern, and jaw-dropping reimagining of ancient musical form by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen, coupled with other modern reflections—or refractions—on these long-past musical worlds by contemporary composers Nico Muhly and Peter Maxwell Davies.
Led by conductor Charles Hazlewood and performed by musicians from Paraorchestra playing a mix of traditional and electronic instruments, this world premiere promises a 360-degree feast for the eyes and ears; an extraordinary sonic adventure like no other.
Visit Garage from Wednesday February 6, in the morning or early afternoon, and you may catch a glimpse of the Paraorchestra rehearsing The Anatomy of the Orchestra in the Museum Atrium.
Programme
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major
J. S. Bach BMV 1048
This is the Record of John
Orlando Gibbons/Nico Muhly
Two Preludes and Fugues (in C sharp minor and C sharp major)
J.S. Bach/Peter Maxwell Davies
Hoketus
Louis Andriessen
The event is part of the UK-Russia Year of Music organized by the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Moscow with the support of the British Council.
