Alex Nowitz:
bbrrmm: Eine Klangutopie auf dem Land
für zwei Celli und drei Naturbeherrschungsinstrumente (Rasenmäher, Motorsäge und Sense)
[bbrrmm: A sounding utopia in the countryside, for two cellos and three nature dominating instruments (lawnmower, chainsaw and secythe)]
bbrrmm: Eine Klangutopie auf dem Land
für zwei Celli und drei Naturbeherrschungsinstrumente (Rasenmäher, Motorsäge und Sense)
[bbrrmm: A sounding utopia in the countryside, for two cellos and three nature dominating instruments (lawnmower, chainsaw and secythe)]
“bbrrmm" is a conceptual composition that is based on the idea of listening first and playing second. It’s what I call a “Hör-/Spielstück” – a ‘piece of listening and then playing’. The cello players immerse into the soundscape on-site by committing themselves to unconditional listening and playing in reference to what they hear. This way, “bbrrmm" celebrates the art of listening and the wordless play with sounds of the nature and the co-players, the calls of birds and animals as well as the howling of machines nearby.
To use the concept of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, the work aims to deterritorialize the sounds of man-made machines. Usually serving the only purpose of cutting down and limiting nature, garden tools can make nerve-wracking and deafening sounds. Due to the sensitized context that two unamplified cellos are able to produce, and the way the sounds of the garden tools are embedded into the compositional structure, they become, astonishingly enough, worth listening to and thus musical instruments. Once all these premises fall into place, defunctionalization of the machines can afford, at the same time, a profound aestheticization.
To use the concept of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, the work aims to deterritorialize the sounds of man-made machines. Usually serving the only purpose of cutting down and limiting nature, garden tools can make nerve-wracking and deafening sounds. Due to the sensitized context that two unamplified cellos are able to produce, and the way the sounds of the garden tools are embedded into the compositional structure, they become, astonishingly enough, worth listening to and thus musical instruments. Once all these premises fall into place, defunctionalization of the machines can afford, at the same time, a profound aestheticization.
Alex Nowitz
(Paretz, May 7, 2025)
(Paretz, May 7, 2025)
Premiere
May 4, 2025, Paretz, Germany
Performers:
• Mathis Mayr violoncello
• Sophie Notte violoncello
• Rike Bechem chainsaw, ax
• Ursula Münstermann lawnmower, ax
• Jürgen Laartz scythe
Commission
Paretzer Field Music curated by Sabine Vogel
May 4, 2025, Paretz, Germany
Performers:
• Mathis Mayr violoncello
• Sophie Notte violoncello
• Rike Bechem chainsaw, ax
• Ursula Münstermann lawnmower, ax
• Jürgen Laartz scythe
Commission
Paretzer Field Music curated by Sabine Vogel
Mathis Mayr & Sophie Notte
bbrrmm – description (1) by Alex Nowitz
Mathis Mayr, Sophie Notte Jürgen Laartz
Rike Bechem
Sophie Notte & Jürgen Laartz
Mathis Mayr, Alex Nowitz & Sophie Notte
Mathis Mayr, Alex Nowitz & Jürgen Laartz
bbrrmm – description (3) by Alex Nowitz
the score
Rike Bechem
Sabine Vogel & Mathis Mayr
Jürgen Laartz, Sophie Notte & Alex Nowitz
Ursula Münstermann, Jürgen Laartz, Sophie Notte, Mathis Mayr, Rike Bechem & Alex Nowitz
bbrrmm – description (2) by Alex Nowitz
Photo © Sabine Vogel & Alex Nowitz. Text © Alex Nowitz.
• • • • •
Mathis Mayr (vlc) & Rike Bechem (chainsaw)
during rehearsal on May 3, 2025
Video © Sabine Vogel
during rehearsal on May 3, 2025
Video © Sabine Vogel
Mathis Mayr (vlc) & Jürgen Laartz (scythe)
during rehearsal on May 3, 2025
Video © Sabine Vogel
during rehearsal on May 3, 2025
Video © Sabine Vogel
• • • • •
Support
As part of the concert series Paretzer Field Music the project was funded by the Ministry for Science, Research & Culture and the Musikfonds e.V.
As part of the concert series Paretzer Field Music the project was funded by the Ministry for Science, Research & Culture and the Musikfonds e.V.
• • • • •