Ballet Mecanique at the National Gallery of Art

Premiere of all-robotic version of George Antheil's infamous Dada piece for 16 player pianos and percussion orchestra. Features new robotic instruments from LEMUR: League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (http://lemurbots.org)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• LEMUR
• musical
• robots
• Dada
• Antheil

[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.

[1jionone]

i want these guys to play my wedding!

[esinger3141]

We'd be happy to!

[trainguy111]

Can you also do organ pipes or vibraphones?

[esinger3141]

Yes

[rbcastillo]

Antheil , the Father of industrial music.

[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.

[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.

[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!