A new multi-media composition which sees a brass band combining with a cybernetic composer and video artist, has received critical acclaim after it was shown at the prestigious Klangland Sonic Arts Festival in Germany.
‘1984: The Battle of Orgreave’, which recalls one of the most divisive episodes of the historic Miner’s Strike, was performed to packed houses last weekend.
Doxology
The composition from Christopher Evans combines a recording of a new piece, ‘Doxology’, recorded by City of Coventry Brass, with the work of cybernetic composer Daren Pickles and video artist Adam Collis, all three of who are Senior Lecturers in the Music Department at Coventry University.
Christopher told 4BR: "The opportunity to present a piece at the festival came up at the last minute giving me only four days to write and record ‘Doxology’. However, City of Coventry Brass came to my rescue, organising the recording in a few days."
Hair raising
The contemporary writing did not faze the band however, as Musical Director, Stephen Cooper, added: "It was hair-raising stuff and the band was sight-reading on the session, but we managed to record the 7 minutes of brass music in just over an hour.
The intense pressure brought the best out of the players and they came through with their usual calm approach. I'm delighted with the result."
Conflict and passion
The piece explores the conflict, passion and destructive violence of one of the pivotal events of the Miner’s Strike, which took place at the British Steel coking plant at Orgreave in June 1984.
The almost medieval meeting of two opposing forces and the resultant violence that ensued drew a dark, sharp edged focus on what had become an almost ideological dispute, and which to this day draws strong opinions about the damage it caused to both sides from those involved.
Juxtaposes
The music itself juxtaposes two compositional idioms to create a complex knot of feedback processes, forcing them to combine and coalesce and at others disperse and oppose.
The visuals mediate the ongoing drama, skewing the perception of the processes.
Pleasure
The Cybernetic composition is performed and recorded by composer, Daren Pickles, who told 4BR: "Working with a brass band for the first time has been a real pleasure. The sound of the instruments is so rich and the playing is excellent.
I've had a great time composing the electronic score which is entirely derived from the band recording."
Complex issues
Adam Collis is a computer music specialist who also works in video, and added: "I was interested in confronting the complex issues around the Miner's Strike.
The traditional sound of the band juxtaposed with the complex soundworld of the cybernetics led me to an approach placing images of brass playing, documentary footage and TV news together in a way which is sinister and unresolved."
The almost medieval meeting of two opposing forces and the resultant violence that ensued drew a dark, sharp edged focus on what had become an almost ideological dispute4BR
Intense
Christopher concluded: "Although absurdly intense, this was great fun and we're very grateful to the Curator of Klangland, Wolf Spyra for the opportunity.
We want to gig this piece live, together with a couple of planned works, later in the year with City of Coventry Brass."
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