The subtle repetitive organ music of Nico Muhly is mixed with the electronic sounds of Daniel Lopatin aka Oneothrix Point Never (OPN), whose melancholic synths move between ambient, drone and fragmented dance. Muhly is regarded as one of the hottest young composers of the contemporary New York music scene, while Brooklynite OPN is well on his way to reaching stardom in the realm of electronic music, certainly since the release last year of his album R Plus Seven on the renowned Warp label. OPN, who makes extensive use of organ samples in his music, will perform his own tracks live. Muhly’s organ music is performed by James McVinnie. Together the three of them will conclude the concert with a rendition of Muhly’s Twitchy Organs.
dates
Wed June 4 2014 10:30 PM
information
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Duration of performance unknown (zonder pauze)
Versed in classical organ music as well as the contemporary repertoire, organist James McVinnie will play works by Nico Muhly on a number of occassions at this year's Holland Festival. Along with other contemporary composers, including Robert Walker and Shara Worden, Muhly has composed various pieces for McVinnie. Recently McVinnnie recorded an album with works by Muhly, entitled Cycles. One of the reviews read: 'McVinnie's feel for the many moods [...] is as impressive as his technical command of the organ.’ and '[...] if anything, it’s a great introduction to the sounds and capabilities of an instrument that a lot of us know absolutely nothing about.’ For this festival's programme, Muhly's compositions O Antiphons, Fast Cycles and Twitchy Organs have been selected.
On the initiative of the Holland Festival, James McVinnie and Oneothrix Point Never (OPN), one of the most exciting upcoming names in electronic music, will join forces for this special concert. After a number of solo performances – McVinnie playing Muhly, OPN playing his own work – the two of them will be joined by Muhly for a performance of Twitchy Organs. The venue for the concert is the Amsterdam Orgelpark (Organ Park). It's a fitting location for OPN, considering his frequent use of organ samples on his most recent album R Plus Seven, which is his first recording for Warp (incidentally, also the label of Aphex Twin). One of the reviews declares: 'Church organs shock and soar, synth patterns roll and roll staying one step to the right side of a seventies prog homage. This is a grand opening in every sense of the word and a delightfully confident opener to an album that brims with class, confusion and bravado.’
Oneohtrix Point Never is the stage name of Brooklyn resident and experimental musician Daniel Lopatin, descendant of a Jewish family which emigrated from Russia to the United States. The basement in the family home in Boston was stacked full of synthesizers, which belonged to his father, who had played in a band in the Soviet-Union. Lopatin was inspired by the synthesizer sounds of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Stevie Wonder, albums by whom he'd found in his father's record collection, and by the soundtracks of video games such as Metroid. Film and soundtracks have been a huge influence on Lopatin's work, who employs a mix of styles and sounds.
Lopatin does not consider himself a musician. 'I approach music psychologically a lot of the time as a fan. My way was always to look more conceptually and in an abstract way and see if I could take these plastic or static ideas about genre and see how I could make new work with them.’