Two screenings of a film by David Ryan

Venue: Italian Cultural Institute
Date: 29 November 2010
Time: 19.00

Venue: Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge
Date: 30 November 2010
Time: 18.00

Free Admission

Giacinto Scelsi (1905-1988) was an Italian composer whose unique position in post-war music has made him something of a mythical figure. Developing works that are both contemplative and arrestingly sonic, he was particularly inspired by non-western musics. Admired by John Cage amongst others, Scelsi formulated a close working relationship between the polarities of improvisation and composition, resulting in a daring micro-tonal music unfettered by convention.

David Ryan's film, 'Via di San Teodoro 8', reflects these tendencies through exploring the spaces of the Casa Scelsi, the residency of Scelsi and his sister Isabella in the heart of Rome. The film explores different aspects of the house, its spaces, sounds and vistas, and its unique ambience opposite the ancient forum. The film's climax is formed from the breathtaking views from the house's terrace together with the unique opportunity to witness the rediscovery of the sounds of the electronic Ondiola, an instrument on which Scelsi composed his later music. The film documents Nicola Bernadini and pianist Oscar Pizzo confronting and re-interpreting the sounds from these instruments within the actual space that Scelsi composed and improvised.

HD Video, 40 minutes, 2010
Director: David Ryan
Director of Photography: Tim Sidell
Sound: Emanuele Costantini

This proposed screening will include a short discussion of Scelsi's approach to music and the realisation of the film, together with live music by Scelsi, by:

Sabina Meyer (Rome), Voice - Giacinto Scelsi: including Hô - cinq melodies for voix femme
Gianni Trovalusci (Rome), Bass Flute - including Maknongen, for a bass instrument

Sabina Meyer and Gianni Trovalusci are both new music specialists who are particularly conversant with approaching the music of Scelsi, Meyer having played in the huge Scelsi retrospective of 2005-6, and Trovalusci invited on numerous occasions to participate in, and curate, concerts at the Scelsi Foundation in Rome.

"Sabina Meyer is pure music, like her voice which comes out like a beam of light - weightless, nuclear, illuminating...brilliant and reinvigorating readings of Scelsi..." Alvin Curran, composer and Scelsi collaborator, Rome 2005.

"A musical vision of exuberance, precision and imaginative sounds," (on Trovalusci's direction of Christian Wolff's music), La Republicca, 2009

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