Clara Lévy, Victor Guaita & Clara de Asís - Songs Of Erosion + Rhodri Davies

Buzzing harp improvisations and medieval Spanish songs brought to life.

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PROGRAMME

20:00: Rhodri Davies

21:00: Clara Lévy, Victor Guaita & Clara de Asís — Songs Of Erosion

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Rhodri Davies

When you think of the harp and experimental music, you think of Rhodri Davies. In addition to the ‘standard’ harp, the Welsh improviser, composer, and artist plays the bray harp, horsehair harp, and electric harp, and also builds installations featuring wind, water, ice, or fire harps. In addition to eight solo albums, Rhodri Davies has also released music with his ensemble Hen Ogledd and collaborated with greats such as Derek Baily, Jenny Hval, Pat Thomas, Mariam Rezaei, and Phill Niblock. In addition, the recently deceased composer Éliane Radigue created many compositions for Davies, including her famous piece OCCAM I. At STUK, Davies will perform a solo concert on the bray harp, a type of harp that was popular in the 14th–18th centuries and is characterized by a buzzing, overtone-rich sound.

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Clara Lévy, Victor Guaita & Clara de Asís — Songs Of Erosion

Songs of Erosion is a contemporary interpretation of one of the most famous medieval songbooks: Cantigas de Santa Maria (‘Songs of Holy Mary’). Written in 13th-century Spain, the Cantigas is a collection of approximately 420 songs: in addition to hymns to the Virgin Mary, it includes legends, historical events, medical remedies, gossip, and even scenes of courtly love... blurring the boundaries between the sacred and the folkloric.

In Songs of Erosion, violinist Clara Lévy, violist Victor Guaita, and synthesizer composer Clara de Asís set to work on this 800-year-old repertoire. The project is not intended as a historically grounded interpretation of the medieval songbook. Instead, the musicians regard the manuscript as an archaeological artifact from a distant past that is subject to processes of erosion. The original melodies crumble, stretch out, and repeat themselves until they become unrecognizable. Through the debris and sediments of time, the trio allows the audience to catch a glimpse of what remains of these 800-year-old songs. A meditative and compelling experience in surround sound.