Stravinsky Collage (1976)
for cello and piano
Collaboration with June Schneider and Larry Scully
Unpublished
Duration: Variable
Première
First performance: November 1976; Market Theatre, Johannesburg; Kálmán Richter cello,
Michael Blake piano
Programme note
Larry Scully made his “Stravinsky Collage” in 1976 and it was exhibited in the opening exhibition of the new Gertrude Posel Art Gallery at Wits University in November 1976. “Stravinsky Collage” is a mixed media artwork, using a cut-up score of Stravinsky’s “Suite Italienne”, an arrangement by the composer for either violin or cello and piano of the concert suite from his ballet “Pulcinella”.
June Schneider suggested to me and cellist Kálmán Richter that we “play the painting” as part of the opening night of the exhibition. The result was a kaleidoscope of fragments of the piece assembled in a way that was inspired by Scully’s work. To ensure synchronicity we worked from Stravinsky’s original score to study the music, and then created a performance score which followed the paths and contours of Scully’s cut-up. At the performance the players sat in front of the painting facing it, and the audience stood behind the players also facing the painting. (Michael Blake, Johannesburg, 1976)
for cello and piano
Collaboration with June Schneider and Larry Scully
Unpublished
Duration: Variable
Première
First performance: November 1976; Market Theatre, Johannesburg; Kálmán Richter cello,
Michael Blake piano
Programme note
Larry Scully made his “Stravinsky Collage” in 1976 and it was exhibited in the opening exhibition of the new Gertrude Posel Art Gallery at Wits University in November 1976. “Stravinsky Collage” is a mixed media artwork, using a cut-up score of Stravinsky’s “Suite Italienne”, an arrangement by the composer for either violin or cello and piano of the concert suite from his ballet “Pulcinella”.
June Schneider suggested to me and cellist Kálmán Richter that we “play the painting” as part of the opening night of the exhibition. The result was a kaleidoscope of fragments of the piece assembled in a way that was inspired by Scully’s work. To ensure synchronicity we worked from Stravinsky’s original score to study the music, and then created a performance score which followed the paths and contours of Scully’s cut-up. At the performance the players sat in front of the painting facing it, and the audience stood behind the players also facing the painting. (Michael Blake, Johannesburg, 1976)
