the unanswered question
masterpieces of minimalism
programme
charles ives
The Unanswered Question
Steve reich
Proverb
Tehillim
gavin bryars
The Sinking of the Titanic
about
In The Unanswered Question by the American composer Charles Ives, three instrument groups sketch out a cosmic landscape. While the strings express the eternal silence of infinite space, a trumpet searches for the meaning of life. A number of woodwind instruments try to formulate an answer, but end up simply mocking the question.
Proverb and Tehillim are two compositions by the minimalist composer Steve Reich in which the written word plays a particularly essential role. While his lifelong fascination with the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein comes to the fore in Proverb, in Tehillim - a work in four movements - Reich examines his Jewish roots with the aid of a number of excerpts from the Psalms.
The English composer Gavin Bryars based his composition The Sinking of the Titanic on the story of the musicians who were aboard the RMS Titanic, and continued playing while the ship sank. Gavin Bryars has the string section endlessly repeat the hymn the musicians were said to have played. This melody is increasingly submerged over time beneath Morse code signals, disorientating sound effects and even interviews with survivors. The effect is that of the band members slowly sinking into the depths of the ocean.
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full programme and extra information
texts and translations
watch now
Watch The Unanswered Question on 25 March at 22:09 for the premiere via Podium 19. Or watch the performance when you like via on demand until the end of April.
Watch via Proximus Pickx on demand until the end of March.
podium 19 on your television
On Proximus Pickx channel 19 or channel 269 from Brussels or Wallonia (attention: only available for the Proximus Pickx subscription) or on Telenet TV channel 99 (attention: only available for Telenet digital TV) or on Orange TV channel 20.
credits
coproduction
Klarafestival, Ictus, Brussels Philharmonic
streamed from / in collaboration with
Flagey (studio 4)
image © Marcel Lennartz
