Antoine Beuger
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calme étendue (spinoza) |
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Order Reference: |
EWR 0107 |
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Medium: |
CD |
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Composers: |
Antoine
Beuger |
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Performer: |
Antoine
Beuger, speaker |
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The first step composer Antoine Beuger took, in his attempt to
approach Spinoza‘s Ethics musically, was to copy out all the
monosyllabic words of this book in the order of their appearance: a total of
about 40,000 words. |
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This method gave him the opportunity to read the text very attentively
and carefully from beginning to end, and, without intending to understand
each of its details, to experience its force, the plurality of ‚streams‘ at
work in it, and the clear and life-affirming attitude it conveys. |
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In performing calme étendue (spinoza), the words are spoken in
a very relaxed tempo (one word every 8 seconds) and with a very quiet voice. The
performer should not - through emphasis or intonation - try and suggest a
specific sense to the individual words or groups of words. |
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Spoken sections alternate with sections of silence. In these silent
sections, the performer just sits quietly, doing nothing: calm concentration. |
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A complete performance of calme étendue (spinoza) lasts about
180 hours. |
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In August, 1997, the composer carried out a complete performance of
the work at the Museum Schloss Morsbroich, Leverkusen: 26 consecutive days, 6
to 10 hours daily, according to the opening hours of the museum. |
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The version on this CD has a duration of about 70 minutes and begins
with a nine minute silence. |
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