HandsFree
July 6, 2013 11:50 AM Subscribe
Recently, at the BBC Proms, the National Youth Orchestra performed a piece by the composer and electronic musician Anna Meredith. The name of the piece is HandsFree. It's not your typical Proms fare. The musicians put down their instruments and commence twelve-odd minutes of clapping, stomping, shuffling, shouts and even singing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
That was SUPERBLY COOL! Thank you so much!
posted by KathrynT at 12:22 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by KathrynT at 12:22 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Mavelous!
posted by ColdChef at 12:22 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ColdChef at 12:22 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Excellent.
posted by parki at 12:32 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by parki at 12:32 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Great performance. Steve Reich would love this!
posted by Vibrissae at 12:38 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Vibrissae at 12:38 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am a little reminded of some of Greg Patillo's beatboxing flute stuff.
Also, it's always great to see a piece that really takes advantage of the visual and spatial aspects of the big organized mass of people in the orchestra.
posted by daisystomper at 1:02 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, it's always great to see a piece that really takes advantage of the visual and spatial aspects of the big organized mass of people in the orchestra.
posted by daisystomper at 1:02 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
You ever get that thing where you tear up just from seeing wonderful displays of human skill and ability? Yeah.
This was also improved by how DEAD SERIOUS most the musicans' faces were for most of the performance.
posted by whitneyarner at 1:32 PM on July 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
This was also improved by how DEAD SERIOUS most the musicans' faces were for most of the performance.
posted by whitneyarner at 1:32 PM on July 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
No, wait, I wasn't finding quite the words I needed there. Tearing up just from thinking of how much hard work and practice went into pulling off something so great. Just wonderful.
posted by whitneyarner at 1:38 PM on July 6, 2013
posted by whitneyarner at 1:38 PM on July 6, 2013
On a much smaller scale: Table Music by Thierry de Mey
posted by Omission at 1:39 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Omission at 1:39 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Thin stuff. If you're going to use the immensely sophisticated apparatus of an orchestra to do something much simpler which ignores the skills of the professionals involved, it had better yield interesting results. But even as a percussion piece, this is dull.
posted by Segundus at 1:50 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Segundus at 1:50 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
It’s funny how hard it is for orchestra players to keep simple time.
posted by bongo_x at 2:07 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bongo_x at 2:07 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Kane approves, kinda.
But really, no foot stomping? (I know that Broadway show kind of owns it, but just add it to the mix) No mouth popping? (Surprisingly effective in large groups) NO UNDERARM FARTS?
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 2:17 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
But really, no foot stomping? (I know that Broadway show kind of owns it, but just add it to the mix) No mouth popping? (Surprisingly effective in large groups) NO UNDERARM FARTS?
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 2:17 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Segundus, this is the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. I'm pretty sure they are not paid professionals.
posted by starvingartist at 5:36 PM on July 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by starvingartist at 5:36 PM on July 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
Oddly enough, brought tears to my eyes. Lovely!
posted by cleroy at 7:37 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cleroy at 7:37 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Aw how cute, what's the next piece you'll be playing?
posted by ReeMonster at 10:43 PM on July 6, 2013
posted by ReeMonster at 10:43 PM on July 6, 2013
All over England, mothers are weeping. Spent all that money on music lessons to teach the kids to play an instrument and this is the thanks we get?
posted by Cranberry at 12:35 AM on July 7, 2013
posted by Cranberry at 12:35 AM on July 7, 2013
All over England, mothers are weeping. Spent all that money on music lessons to teach the kids to play an instrument and this is the thanks we get?
They get to see their kid playing in the Royal Albert Hall, on television, so I'm sure that they can suffer a little indignity.
Oh, and England does not equal Great Britain. (The wiki page says that the NYOoGB pulls from the UK, and those two aren't equivalent either, so bah!).
posted by YAMWAK at 1:23 AM on July 7, 2013
They get to see their kid playing in the Royal Albert Hall, on television, so I'm sure that they can suffer a little indignity.
Oh, and England does not equal Great Britain. (The wiki page says that the NYOoGB pulls from the UK, and those two aren't equivalent either, so bah!).
posted by YAMWAK at 1:23 AM on July 7, 2013
It's a neat piece, but I found the soundless movements a little weird. Are they an orchestra or backup dancers for Janet Jackson?
posted by Sys Rq at 7:41 AM on July 7, 2013
posted by Sys Rq at 7:41 AM on July 7, 2013
> It's a neat piece, but I found the soundless movements a little weird. Are they an orchestra or backup dancers for Janet Jackson?
I wondered about that, but it occurred to me that the movements provide a visual cue that would make it much easier for the director and the performers themselves to know whether they were in the right place with their section.
posted by desuetude at 12:59 PM on July 7, 2013
I wondered about that, but it occurred to me that the movements provide a visual cue that would make it much easier for the director and the performers themselves to know whether they were in the right place with their section.
posted by desuetude at 12:59 PM on July 7, 2013
I SO want to see this performed by the Vienna Philharmonic.
posted by Twang at 1:29 PM on July 7, 2013
posted by Twang at 1:29 PM on July 7, 2013
« Older And that's a wrap. | 15 Ways to Open a Bottle Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by jph at 12:21 PM on July 6, 2013 [1 favorite]