EriK Satie – Vexations in Berlin

OBJECT INFORMATION

wir reden nicht wir tun

Republik / Erik Satie

Wronsky

berlin / september 1990 / grenzstreifen am reichstag

Original Caption

"Documentary film about a piano concert on the border strip behind the Berlin Reichstag building in September 1990. On a piece of wasteland along the former death strip by the River Spree in the city centre, 16 pianists play 25 hours of Erik Satie: vexations. One motif is repeated 840 times – seamless changeover makes for no interruption in play. A black concert grand stands in the middle of this landscape. It's situated not far from the border tower, surrounded by Wall relics, sand and plants. It's open air and the music is accompanied by the sounds of passing S-Bahn trains, boats, an airship, crying children and bicycle bells. Starting during daytime, the concert goes on into a relatively cold night, continues through until daybreak and ends on a sunny Sunday. Traces of bygone times emerge. They include objects found on the surface as well as finds buried in the earth below. Remains of former bunkers. Underground water. Murals by SS soldiers in the Third Reich. The film also depicts the pianists. Each person has his or her own particular way of playing. Some are fast, others slow, alert or meditative. And with each changeover, a black or white marble is thrown into the sand. After 840 marbles in 25 hours, the glass container stands empty. In addition, individual pianists are asked about Erik Satie, the location and this particular moment in history. What does the piece, "vexations", signify here? Fall of the Wall - what next? Images and sounds are historical documents. A musical meditation through poetic images." (Harald-Alexander Korp, www.hakorp.de, as of 6 January 2010)

Average User Ranking (7 rankings)

(1 comment)

User Comments

Rank - * ** *** **** *****

Save

Please login/register to tag and comment on this item.