Spire: Live @ Passionskirche, Berlin, 5th
CTM12
Marcus Davidson
Eleh
Hildur Gudnadottir
Charles Matthews
Jana Winderen
The Eternal Chord
“To conclude the Festival and celebrate its own thirtieth anniversary, British label Touch invites us to one of its Spire events, which are centered on the sonic power of the organ. Almost no other instrument can trace a vector from the deep time of technology thru to the present, and thus equal the several thousand-year history of the organ. Consequently, the curators of Touch are just as interested in transferring this instrumental concept to modern technology (the organ as a forerunner of the synthesizer), as they are in the psycho-physical impact of its sound, in the history of political instrumentalisation of the organ, and in the first experience and ritual appropriation of its underlying principles in prehistoric times – namely of wind, whistling through natural cavities and chimneys. As a deep-listening event with works by Giacinto Scelsi, Jana Winderen, Olivier Messiaen, Marcus Davidson, Gyorgy Ligeti, Hildur Gudnadottir, Frank Martin, Charles Camilleri, Stephen Montague, Arvo Pärt, Eleh, Diana Burrell, The Eternal Chord and a group improv session, Spire makes manifest the metaphysical focus that has permeated the Touch label program since its inception.”
All photos by Jon Wozencroft