MAX!MAL BL!NDMAN

programme

• Thierry De Mey/Peter Vermeersch > Contre Six (1984)
  2 pianos, saxophone quartet and loop (8’)
  Arranged in a loop, a rhythmic six-eight theme encloses the sometimes austere and harsh, sometimes voluble and exuberant progression of the different tone combinations: the instruments joining together within other rhythmic beats (5, 7, etc.) clashing with the metre repeated by the machine, hence the title Counter Six.

• Walter Hus > Five to Five
  2 pianos and saxophone quartet (13‘)
  Five to Five was originally written for a Yamamoto fashion-show in Brussels. It was Hus’ very first composition and shows the influence of minimal music in its obsessive use of repetitive cells but at the same time the abundant stream of melodies, the contrapuntal concept and the dramatic build-up resist the “minimal” label. The title refers to a superimposition of several combinations of the number five.

• Peter Vermeersch > Scrum (1985)
  tenor saxophone (5‘)
  The rugby scrum is that indecisive and confused moment in a match when the two opposing packs confront each other shoulder to shoulder. Two forces expressing themselves in opposite directions, cancelling each other out: a metaphoric title for this piece referring to the clash between the different voices merging in one instrument.

• Eric Sleichim > Lié / Délié (1987)
  saxophone-quartet in 3 movements (12’)
  First saxophone-quartet written by Eric Sleichim for BL!NDMAN. It was played by Maximalist! with three saxophones and cello.
  In movement 1 the baritone saxophone plays in circular breathing the recurrent basic theme (Tied).
  The second movement stands for the fragmentation of the thematic into repetitive cells (Untied).
  Movement 3 decomposes the lines until everything falls apart (Pieces).

• Thierry De Mey > Musique de Tables (1987)
  3 tables (8‘)
  Composed for three percussionists who each use a little table as their musical instrument. The diversity of tones is produced by striking the tables in different ways. The position of fingers and hands, the rhythmic figures are coded in a repertoire of original symbols introduced into the score. The idea of Musique de tables is to trace the link between the music and the gesture that produces the sound, and to pinpoint the demarcation line between dance and music: the visual and choreographic aspects are on the same plane of importance as the tones and the musicality of the performances.

• Thierry De Mey/Peter Vermeersch > Habanera (1983)
  2 pianos and saxophone quartet (14‘)
  This piece, written for the finale of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s choreographic work Rosas danst Rosas marks the beginning of Thierry de Mey’s collaboration with this choreographer. The rhythmic theme of the Habanera is deconstructed in this piece and presented in the form of ostinato continuously reiterated in gradual shifts, on which different compositional processes (accumulation, canon, hockets, interpolation, etc.) are linked together. The implacable rigour of the musical forms, a real “structural wall”, is designed to be used as a springboard for the physical involvement of the performers.

• Thierry De Mey > Balatum (1984)
  mirrors, polystyrene foam, bass, cowbells, piano frame, steel drum, metallic sheers and wood blocks (16‘)
  A piece written for the first choreographic work by Michèle-Anne De Mey. An original range of instruments is used for these constructions/deconstructions of geometrical themes that link together and entwine like tresses: a playful puzzle of continuously moving shapes.

total duration: ca. 75’ (no intermission)