Golden Fur Perform Morton Feldman's Patterns in a Chromatic Field

Event information

Feldman's maverick position in twentieth-century American music paved the way for new and radical approaches to compositional form and language. His ongoing interest in and intrinsic connection with the visual arts (in particular Phillip Guston, Willem De Kooning, Mark Rothko and Coptic and Anatolian rug patterning) sparked a re-imagining of sound manifested as 'surface', 'space' and 'texture', potentially disconnected from 'time' altogether. Along with John Cage and Earle Brown, Feldman is arguably one of America's most individual and uncompromising musical exponents.

Composed at the outset of his 'late period', Patterns In A Chromatic Field is widely recognised as Feldman's most uncharacteristic and virtuosic piece. It is kaleidoscopic in colour, complex and playful in rhythm, and devastating in expressive scope. Unlike many of his other works that are pre-occupied with stasis and augmented durations, Patterns... shifts abruptly, often at breakneck speed, between elaborate chromatic, microtonal, polyphonic, static and dynamic passages. Though Feldman uses repetition as a key compositional tool and formal building block, his music is completely at odds with the additive, process-based Minimalist language that has dominated much of America's musical profile. A performance of Patterns... is a very rare opportunity to experience a transformative and potent masterwork of American music.

JAMES RUSHFORD

James Rushford is a young Melbourne-based composer, pianist, violist and improviser. Studying with artists such as Anthony Pateras, Fred Frith, Robert Ashley, Brett Dean, Liza Lim, Markus Schmickler and Michael Pisaro, James has developed a keen interest in electro-acoustic media and more experimental forms of music making. He has been commissioned by ensembles such as Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Speak Percussion, Ear Massage (Netherlands), Synergy, The Song Company, Ensemble Neon (Norway) and Decibel, and has featured in the Melbourne International Arts Festival (2006 and 2008), Liquid Architecture (2011), NOW Now (2011), Instants Chavires (Montreuil 2010), Stazioni Di Topolo (Topolo 2012) Melbourne International Film Festival (2005 and 2008) and the Oslo Ultima Festival (2011). As a performer, he has given Australian premieres of works by Phill Niblock and Alvin Lucier, and collaborates regularly with Jon Rose, Oren Ambarchi, Ned Collette, Francis Plagne and Joe Talia. His music and performances have been published by Cajid Media, Pogus, Editions Mego, Sabbatical and Bocian.

JUDITH HAMANN

Judith Hamann is a Melbourne-based musician whose main instrument is violoncello. Her performance practice stretches across various genres encompassing elements of improvised, art, experimental and popular music with a particular focus on the presentation of new or rarely performed works. Judith has undertaken studies with cellists at the forefront of new music including Christian Wojtowicz, Charles Curtis, Severine Ballon and Kevin McFarland. She has performed as either a soloist or a chamber musician for the Melbourne International Arts Festival (2005, 2006, 2007, 2011), Melbourne International Jazz Festival (2010), the Adelaide Arts Festival (2012) Liquid Architecture Festival (2010) and The NOW Now Festival (2011). Judith has performed Australian premieres of works by Liza Lim and Thomas Meadowcroft, Olga Neuwirth and Klaus Lang, as well as the world premieres of commissioned works by Natasha Anderson and Cat Hope. Judith is also a member of Atticus string quartet, Weft (with Carolyn Connors), ELISION, Grand Salvo and Francis Plagne band.

GOLDEN FUR

James and Judith are founding members of the chamber music ensemble Golden Fur, incorporating contemporary classical, experimental and improvised forms of music making. They have given Australian premieres of works by Sofia Gubaidulina, Robert Ashley, Jani Christou, Klaus Lang, Thomas Meadowcroft, and world premieres of works by Anthony Pateras, Jaap Blonk, Marco Fusinato, David Chisholm, Cat Hope, Sean Baxter, Robert Dahm and Kate Neal. Performance highlights include NOW Now (2010, 2012), Liquid Architecture (2010), New Music Network (2009), Melbourne International Arts Festival (2007), Melbourne International Jazz Festival (2011), Soopa (Portugal), Data (Marseilles), Logos Foundation (Ghent), Ausland (Berlin), Cruce (Madrid), Steim (Amsterdam), Worm (Rotterdam), Cave 12 (Geneva) and Amann (Vienna).