UNSUNG

A NEW WORK FOR DARTINGTON 2012

A work in in four parts

1

O PER SE O

2

STORY

3

CANT

4

11 FEET 6 INCHES

UNSUNG

 

In 1964 when Robert Rauschenberg was touring with Merce Cunningham in England, they performed a work Story at Dartington Summer School. in homage to both of them this new work constructed and devised for the Great Hall by the conceptual artist Terry Smith is made specially for the vocalist Linda Hirst.

“ Linda has sung for John Cage, worked with Berio, recorded with the Michael Nyman Band, sung at the Royal Opera House, its difficult to say what she has not done. Of course her voice is special and unique and her abilities at improvisation extraordinary. But the most important attribute above those for me is her courage. She is prepared to try and to fail. Perfect. “       Terry Smith

There are two works specially created for Dartington Summer School. COMBINE which was previewed at V22 in Bermondsey in June 2012 will be presented in Caracas in November 2012. This work combines recorded music with live voices and performance.

UNSUNG is a new work for voice, recorded sound and video. Dartington Great Hall will be the first presentation of this work.

You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back, no manuscripts to store away, no paintings to show on walls and maybe hang in museums, no poems to be printed and sold, nothing but that single fleeting moment when you feel alive. ”    Merce Cunningham

“Dance is an art in space and time. The object of the dancer is to obliterate that.”    Merce Cunningham

“The only way to do it is to do it.”   Merce Cunningham

I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.   John Cage

If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.    John Cage

If you don't have trouble paying the rent, you have trouble doing something else; one needs just a certain amount of trouble.     Robert Rauschenberg

I don't think there's anything really wrong with influence because I think that one can use another man's art as material either literally or just implying that they're doing that, without it representing a lack of a point of view.    Robert Rauschenberg

Having to be different is the same trap as having to be the same.    Robert Rauschenberg

Unsung was commissioned by Dartington International Summer school 2012.

Devised first as a live performance with Linda Hirst.

Unsung consists of two parts a video work and a live work.

The live part is a bespoke video work that operates as a visual cue to the performances.

There are a set of instructions for the performer. The length and duration of some parts can vary.

The stand alone video work consists of recorded images, filmed in London, Epping Forest and Dartington.

First performed 3 August 2012 at the Great Hall in Dartington