related works
Analog Intelligence : for orchestra / Brendan Faegre
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
picc 2fl 2ob eh 2cl cl-b 2fg cfg 4h 3tpt 2trb trb-b tb timp 4perc pf str
Distorted Alterations : for four percussionists and live electronics / Tilen Lebar
Genre:
Multimedia
Subgenre:
Percussion with multimedia
Opus Focus : for percussion and electronics / Amos Elkana
Genre:
Multimedia
Subgenre:
Percussion with multimedia
Scoring:
perc tape
Octopus : for one percussion player and tape / Maxim Shalygin
Genre:
Multimedia
Subgenre:
Percussion with multimedia
Scoring:
perc tape
composition
Gods of Bird : for 3 percussionists and electronics / Brendan Faegre
Other authors:
Faegre, Brendan
(Composer)
Description:
While walking through Joep van Lieshout's atelier, looking for musical possibilities in his sculptures, I stumbled upon his Early Bird from 2015. A few taps on the surface and I was enchanted. Each of its 100 flat metal surfaces rings out a clear, unique pitch. It's like a beautiful, bizarrely-tuned, three-dimensional, 4-meter tall vibraphone.
The percussionists play the role of three gods, descending from the heavens to help guide the four terribly lost Early Birds. Each bird believes itself to be a solitary genius, forging ahead in its own direction while climbing the rusty corporate ladder of late-stage capitalism. The birds are unaware of the fact that we are all welded together.
As the piece unfolds, the gods grow weary, finding the Early Birds completely unreceptive to their advice. The gods eventually resign and then die, as the humans kill their own gods by killing themselves (the death of the dreamer kills the dreamed).
Brendan Faegre