Percy Grainger’s Free Music
Decibel has been working with the two Free Music pieces by Percy Grainger. In 2009, they adapted Free Music No. 1, for 4 iphone Theremins, using their Decibel ScorePlayer to enable a reading of the score.
This work was toured in Europe and recorded for German radio, SWR. In 2013, they adapted Free Music No. 2 for 6 iPad Theremins, recording this work for ABC Classic FM, and performing it at the Perth opening of the Drawn From Sound exhibition of Australian graphic scores, where the original manuscript of the work was shown. An article in the Guardian discussed Decibel’s interpretation of the work, and ensemble have presented their work at the
Grainger Museum in Melbourne, Australia in conjunction with a short talk about the approach to the performance and the adaptation of the score. Images of Decibel adaptations and extracts of original scores can be found in the catalogue for Drawn from Sound.
Here is a review of the project as presented at the Grainger Museum. An academic paper on the preparation of the project can be found here.
FEATURE IMAGE: Performance at the opening of the Drawn From Sound exhbition in April 2013.
Image credit: Rob Bogaerts / Anefo
Videos
The scores below are not at the correct speed – this can be changed in the score player.
Percy Grainger Free Music No. 1 (score)
Percy Grainger Free Music No. 2 (score)
Percy Grainger “Free Music No.1” for 4 iphone theremins
