Edinburgh Napier University

  Schafer (2011) said, ‘Without sound space feels lifeless.’ While some site-specific compositions seek to explore the acoustical properties of a building, with music that best exemplifies the resonance of the space, others are borne out of a desire to complement the architect’s aesthetic and enhance the visitor experience. This presentation considers the latter approach, exploring my work written for and performed in Mies van der Rohe’s Carr Chapel (1952). A commission for the 2015 Open House Chicago festival, the solo cello work (approximately 7 minutes in duration) was presented at regular intervals over a three hour period as visitors explored the space. Each performance was preceded by a brief informal talk, in which I introduced the compositional ideas, providing a way in for the largely non-musical audience. Composed for Mies’ only ecclesiatical building, nicknamed the “God Box”, I will also reflect on the ethics of writing contemporary music for a sacred space.
It is well documented that Mies sought the finest materials for his buildings; a visit to one of his structures demands time and space in order to appreciate the intrinsic beauty found within these materials. Drawing parallels with this, and embodying Mies‘ ‘less is more’ aesthetic, through an exploration of textures on the cello the listener is invited to focus on the beauty inherent in simplistic and raw musical ideas, thereby challenging perceptions on beauty in art.
I will discuss how the music heightened the visitors’ response to the space and will demonstrate that such Open House initiatives not only facilitate opportunities for music to reach a wider audience, including those that may not actively seek out performances of classical music, but that they also facilitate opportunities for audiences not knowledgeable about architecture. The presentation will include footage filmed on the day of the Open House event.