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Kate Molleson unearths the unique instruments of maverick composer Walter Smetak (1913-1984) in a concert from this year's MaerzMusik Festival in Berlin. Ensemble Modern, alongside the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program, commissioned four composers to explore Smetak's work using very different approaches. A project several years in the making; "Re-inventing Smetak" features new pieces from Liza Lim, Paulo Rios Filho, Daniel Moreira and Arthur Kampela.

The legacy of Walter Smetak has long been missing from traditional narratives of 20th century experimental music. Originally from Zurich, upon emigrating to Brazil Smetak radically changed his spiritual outlook and never returned home, instead creating around 150 unconventional instruments made out of huge calabashes, long garden tubing and rotating carousels. His musical philosophy and 'plásticas sonoras' (resounding sculptures) had an untold influence on Brazilian counter-culture including key figures within the Tropicália movement, such as Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso.

Also in the programme, a new piece from Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe using the human-sized metal sculptures of Harry Bertoia and music from Kate Moore (1979) who was recently awarded the biennial Matthijs Vermeulen Prize. Her piece 'Fern' was performed by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta and percussion ensemble Slagwerk Den Haag at another future-thinking European festival specialising in contemporary music, Gaudeamus Muziekweek from Utrecht.

Arthur Kampela
...tak-tak...tak...
for ensemble and plásticas sonoras (2017)

Liza Lim
Ronda - The Spinning World
for ensemble and plásticas sonoras (2017)

Daniel Moreira
Instrumentarium
for ensemble and video (2017)

Paulo Rios Filho
volvere
for ensemble with plásticas sonoras (2017)

Performed by Ensemble Modern
Conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni
Recorded March 2017 at MaerzMusik, Berlin

Kate Moore (2013)
Fern
for chamber ensemble, electroacoustic

Performed by Amsterdam Sinfonietta and Slagwerk Den Haag
Conducted by Candida Thompson
Recorded September 2016 at Gaudeamus Muziekweek, Utrecht.

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
Levitation Praxis Pt 4

Image - Albrecht Hotz.