Classical ensemble strives for unconventional tunes

For unconventional classical music ensemble Bang on a Can, the
context of the works it selects to perform holds nearly the same
importance as the quality of the works themselves. And
consistently, this context involves rebellion and bold
experimentation.

“We want to find works where the composers wake up in the
morning and think, “˜How do I do something today that is not
just what I learned how to do? How do I do something
fresh?'” said Bang on a Can artistic director David
Lang. “We made lists of things that we thought were pieces
where the composer woke up and said “˜I’m changing what
I know.'”

It is no wonder then that Bang on a Can chose to collaborate
with prolific composer Philip Glass for a performance of two of his
most well known, yet least understood pieces, “Music in
Similar Motion” and “Music in Fifths.” Glass
entered the world of classical music on a well-paved road of
tradition, completing his musical education at the University of
Chicago and The Julliard School. But a subsequent study of Indian
music led Glass to ultimately renounce all of his previous
classical works as a composer and instead devote his pieces to
Eastern techniques and sensibilities.

“(Glass) basically came home one day and decided,
“˜I’m not into that anymore. I want to do something
else.’ He threw away everything that he knew and reduced his
entire musical world to tiny musical fragments,” said
Lang.

Indeed, “Music in Similar Motion” and “Music
in Fifths” exhibit a stark minimalism that directly opposes
Glass’ previous classical training. Though these works were
both initially written and performed in the 1960s, they are still
considered radical even by today’s standards, which is
precisely the reason Bang on a Can chose to perform them.

“There’s something about these pieces which is
deliberately hard to listen to,” said Lang.
“That’s miraculous ““ forty years later, a piece
that was radical and revolutionary still is.”

To complement Glass’ compositions, Bang on a Can chose to
perform new works by Louis Andriessen, as well as by its own
artistic directors Michael Gordon and Lang. Each piece displays a
unique style, but they all demonstrate an awareness of the musical
battle between minimalism and modernism.

Lang’s composition reflects the same spirit of rebellion
that he looks for when selecting works by other composers. Titled
“Cheating, Lying, and Stealing,” the work was written
as an alternative response to the conventions of composing
music.

“Traditionally, you get encouraged as a composer to think
about the things you do that are really good,” said Lang.
“But I imagined what my music would sound like if I only
thought about the things that I was embarrassed by or horrified by,
or things that I was disappointed about in my life.”

Bang on a Can stands as one of the most prominent ensembles of
its kind, a group designed to showcase new music and composers. It
also remains one of the most unique. Comprised of instruments as
incongruous as a clarinet and an electric guitar, it experiments
with numerous musical genres. Over the years, Bang on a Can has
expanded its original mission statement to create annual festivals,
a summer music school, and collaborations with several other
musicians and even artists in different fields.

“The organization exists to (find) people who could
benefit from working with a group like ours, people like
(Glass),” said Lang.

“We’re looking for people who are on the outskirts
of our world and saying, “˜Our world would be a lot better if
we could invite you in it.'”

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