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Wordless Music / January 16, 2008

Wordless Music

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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  • Wordless Music Poster (Lure Design)
    Inaugural Poster (Lure Design)

    Gavin Bryars, John Adams, and Jonny Greenwood

    This concert recorded live at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle features Brad Lubman conducting the Wordless Music Orchestra performing Gavin Bryars' "The Sinking of the Titanic," John Adams' "Christian Zeal and Activity," and Radiohead lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood's "Popcorn Superhet Receiver for String Orchestra." Hosted by Radiolab's Jad Abumrad.

gavin bryars

The Sinking of the Titanic

"The Sinking of the Titanic" (1969) was inspired by first hand accounts of the event. According to composer Gavin Bryars, "the initial starting point for the piece was the reported fact of the band having played a hymn tune in the final moments of the ship's sinking."

John Adams - Photo by Deborah O'Grady

Christian Zeal and Activity

The Wordless Music Orchestra performs John Adams' "Christian Zeal and Activity," the middle movement of his larger work "American Standard."

Jonny Greenwood (zachklein/flickr)

Popcorn Superhet Receiver

Radiohead lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood composed "Popcorn Superhet Receiver" for string orchestra under a commission from the BBC in 2005. This Wordless Music concert performance marked the work's US premiere.

Comments

  • [1] Jay from FL January 25, 2008 - 03:45PM

    I believe that this fantastic lineup for the 2008 WNYC Wordless Music Event is the future of music history, namely Jonny Greenwood. Are there a series of multimedia formats (CD, Vinyl, or DVD) that are planned for public release or shared broadcast (cable, internet webcast)? Probably all around the world are millions of excited and inspired people who had been unable to attend the concert in New York. Thanks for your hard work!
  • [2] lambert fernando from brooklyn January 27, 2008 - 06:40PM

    cool piece by Jonny greenwood of Radiohead
  • [3] Adam Good from Washington, DC January 30, 2008 - 12:40PM

    Loved Jonny Greenwood's piece in "There Will be Blood" so I'm thrilled to hear it here.
  • [4] Bonnie Wright from New York City January 31, 2008 - 11:51AM

    Ronen Givony is brilliant not only to create/curate/manage the Wordless Music series, but also to expand it so wonderfully and wisely. His concept is grand, the execution is great, his curatorial abilities continue to amaze, and now, it's blossoming in all the right directions: WNYU recordings, Whitney Museum concerts, his own orchestra. I can only pay close attention to what he will do next. It's bound to be exquisite and exciting.

    Thank you for recording the one concert I missed (only because I was in California). That won't happen again.
  • [5] adam c. from nyc January 31, 2008 - 02:49PM

    thank you for these.


  • [6] Reuben S. February 04, 2008 - 01:21AM

    i've wanted to hear popcorn superhet receiver for so long, thank you very much for this
  • [7] Bertolt from New York February 14, 2008 - 02:27PM

    Jad, I was suprised and delighted to hear your voice at the beginning of this. It looks like things have been going well - I am happy for you.

    Is the title, Wordless Music, meant to be ironic? There are recorded speech tracks in both the Adams and the Bryars piece.
  • [8] Mike from Portland, OR June 06, 2008 - 03:58PM

    Listened to the mini-podcast of "Wordless Music" on Radio Lab. Really, really, really wish there was a way I could subscribe to a podcast of this. The Stars of the Lid broadcast was fantastic.


  • [9] Joseph from NY July 18, 2008 - 12:42PM

    Bertolt, the Wordless series, just finishing up its second season, features mainly instrumental music, whether designated as 'classical,' 'electronic,' 'ambient,' 'post-rock' or whatever. Though some artists featured make use of samples, or feature vocals, such as Nico Muhly's piece which is almost all vocals, the vocals are not the focal point of the music, as in much pop music. Certainly their use is at least atypical. See www.wordlessmusic.org for more info

This thread is closed.