Ballet Mecanique at the National Gallery of Art

[CH3CH2OCH2CH3net]

I want this played at my funeral! 

No sitting around and moping for me: I want peoples' hair to stand on end!

[catchersmitt0]

I saw one of these performances. Yes we were startled - it just began playing full tilt with no warning! I loved it (the entire Dada exhibit was superb)... even bought the CD. It sounds like noise at first but after listening to it a few times to give it a chance, it actually begins to reveal structure, if not beauty.

[satiricalfarce]

The recording had more "space" in it than others I have heard, making it easier to appreciate the various voices in the piece. On caveat, I don't feel the propellors of the fan units created as powerful a sound as the airplane propellors that were originally intended.

[esinger3141]

@satiricalfarce : Unfortunately, the museum would not allow us to bring in the three MIDI airplanes required for this.

[albanybeardguy]

Love that the audience was startled when the piece started- nice to see it still has just a bit of shock value.

[saphirdeparis]

Thank you for posting this, I remember experiencing this exhibit and this piece.

[1jionone]

i want these guys to play my wedding!

[esinger3141]

We'd be happy to!

[nickles8189]

creepy to see those instruments playing themselves, especially in some of the sections of this piece. but very cool piece!

[Hidrotic]

I enjoyed that. Dada, Now!

[trainguy111]

Can you also do organ pipes or vibraphones?

[esinger3141]

Yes

[rbcastillo]

Antheil , the Father of industrial music.

[isettajohn]

Rarely heard piece usually played on Jean Shepherd's radio show. Thanks for posting this. Excelsior!

[Mystep]

Ghosts on crack.Truly amazing

[tomatocherry]

very important and histrical movies,I enjoed to watch this.Thank you very much for uploading.

[chem100]

Actually very melodic, rhythmic, and enjoyable. Thanks for posting this. I have a rare three piano roll set of this work. Someday I will post it here.

[normloman]

One of my favorite songs. I'm glad the technology has been perfected to allow the piece to be played as written. I'm told the earliest player pianos were not sophisticated enough to play the whole thing in sync.

[Rachelstewa]

So glad this performance was shot. I probably saw Ballet Mechanique 8 - 10 times, and loved it every time. Something mesmerizing about all that sound in that great space at NGA. The silent crowd scenes under the introductory captions is exactly right . . . the place was always packed.

[okonkolo]

damn. thanks for posting this.

[TomDillinger]

I'm so amazed at how noise has evolved and yet it still keeps the appropriate mindset.

[lakeofstew]

jesus christ! those dadaists had it goin' on

[catchersmitt0]

I saw this performed "live" at NGA in DC. It was amazing, just amazing. I can't believe I was so lucky... I loved it. It was power. It was emotion. It was chaos. It was like being in a storm. It was like being inside a Jackson Pollock drip painting. It was part of a very large Dada exhibit that was one of the best NGA exhibits I ever saw. And it was FREE - sometimes DC is a great place to live.

[catchersmitt0]

I saw this performed at NGA in DC. It was amazing, just amazing. I can't believe I was so lucky... I loved it. What power.

[ototoxic]

congratulation to LEMUR, your work is awsome.

[MrDeltoid]

Just picked up 'Bad Boy Made Good' the doc on George Antheil from Paul Lerman's website. Fantastic stuff. I wished this exhibit would have hit Chicago...

[esinger3141]

It still could hit Chicago, or other places. We just need an organization to request and sponsor it. If you know of one, contact us/them.

[Glemser]

please post or send link to that webpage.thanks