GoldbergVariations1-15&16-30byJ.S.BachplayedbyGlennGouldimprovisedbyStevePaxtonfilmedbyWalterVerdin17/11/2016–20:30–Kaaitheaterfilm•75minEXTRAYoucouldownacopyofTheGoldbergVariations:theDVD-boxisforsaleinthecloackroom.

PROGRAMMEStevePaxton’sIntroduction 4:58

Aboutthecreationoftheperformance

GoldbergVariations1-15 25:48BYJ.S.BachPLAYEDBYGlennGouldIMPROVISEDBYStevePaxtonFILMEDBYWalterVerdinMUSICRECORDINGFROM1981VIDEORECORDEDATFelixMeritis,Amsterdamapril1992

GoldbergVariations16-30 27:42BYJ.S.BachPLAYEDBYGlennGouldIMPROVISEDBYStevePaxtonFILMEDBYWalterVerdinMUSICRECORDINGFROM1955VIDEORECORDEDATFelixMeritis,Amsterdamapril1992

ExcerptfromZiggurat 14:29AbouttheshootingandtheeditingofGoldbergVariationsBRTN/FlemishTelevision,1992–Englishsubtitles

CREDITSdanceimprovisationStevePaxtondirectedbyWalterVerdinmusicGoldbergVariations1-15&16-30,byJ.S.Bach,playedbyGlennGouldediting,mixingWalterVerdincameraSergeEverdepoelsoundBartVanvoordenhi8,directorassistanceAnneVanAerschot

electricianInneBoxtechnicalassistancePaulBruinsma,PietDeKosterdramaturgyMarianneVanKerkhovenmusicaladviceKaatDeWindtpostproductionAudiovisueleDienstK.U.LeuvenmasterACEEditingFacilitiesBrusselproductioncoordinationKoenBauwensproductionKaaitheater

coproductionTheKitchen(NewYork),AudiovisueleDienstK.U.Leuven,Hebbel-Theater(Berlijn),FelixMeritis(Amsterdam),NederlandsInstituutvoordeDans(Amsterdam),supportAntwerpen93locationConcertzaalFelixMeritiscopyrightKaaitheater,1992StevePaxtonWalterVerdin

GOLDBERGVARIATIONS1-15&16-30

nl/DeimprovisatiesvandeAmerikaansechoreograafStevePaxtonopJohannSebastianBachsGoldbergVariatieszijnonvergetelijkvooriedereendieerooitbijwas.ZonoemdedeNewYorksedanscriticaDeborahJowitthetéénvandemeestmysterieuzeendiepgaandeervaringendiezeooitineentheaterhad.Paxtonbegonin1984aanhetprojectenstopteermeein1992.AlsslotvandatachtjarigeproceswildehijeenregistratieenginghiervoorinzeemetdeBelgischevideokunstenaarWalterVerdin.HetKaaitheaterengageerdezichalsproducent.GedurendetiendagenvolgdeVerdindebewegingenvandeimproviserendePaxtoninhetFelixMeritis-gebouwinAmsterdam.Uitdedertienuurmateriaalmonteerdeencomponeerdehijeenindrukwekkendedansfilmvan54minuten. fr/Lesimprovisationsduchorégrapheétats-unienStevePaxtonsurlesVariationsGoldbergdeJean-SébastienBachsontinoubliablespourtousceuxquilesontunjourvues.Pourlacritiquededansenew-yorkaiseDeborahJowitt,cefutl’unedesexpérienceslesplusmystérieusesetprofondesqu’ellen’aitjamaisvécuesauthéâtre.Paxtonacommencéceprojeten1984etyamisfinen1992.Enconclusiondeceprocessusdehuitans,ilasouhaitélesimmortaliserets’estadressépourcelaauvidéastebelgeWalterVerdin.LeKaaitheaters’estengagéàproduireleprojet.Dixjoursdurant,VerdinasuivilesmouvementsimprovisésdePaxtondanslebâtimentFelixMeritisàAmsterdam.Destreizeheuresderushes,ilmonteetréaliseunimpressionnantfilmde54minutes. en/TheimprovisationsoftheAmericanchoreographerStevePaxtontoJohannSebastianBach’sGoldbergVariationsareunforgettableforanyonewhoeverwitnessedthem.TheNewYork-baseddancecriticDeborahJowittdescribeditoneofthemostmysteriousandprofoundexperiencesthatshehaseverhadinatheatre.Paxtonbegantheprojectin1984andstoppedin1992.Asafinaletothateight-yearprocess,hewantedhisworktoberecorded,andforthishecalledontheBelgianvideoartistWalterVerdin.Kaaitheateragreedtoactasproducer.Fortendays,VerdinfollowedthemovementsoftheimprovisingPaxtonintheFelixMeritisbuildinginAmsterdam.Fromthethirteenhoursofmaterial,heeditedandcomposedastriking54-minute-longdancefilm.

24YEARSLATER,FINALLYONDVDYoucouldownacopyofTheGoldbergVariations!ThediscincludesanintroductionbyStevePaxton,aliveregistrationofthefinalperformanceinAmsterdam,andanexcerptfromZiggurat(BRTN)abouttheshootingandeditingprocess.TheDVD-boxisforsaleinthecloackroom.

GOLDBERGVARIATIONSEDITINGAria Hall Benji-CamVariation1 frontVariation2 front-courVariation3 cour repeats canonVariation4 back-courVariation5 backVariation6 back-jardin reverses canonVariation7 jardinVariation8 front-jardinVariation9 mixfrontjardin-front-shoulder-dollyVariation10 dollyleading/following-shoulder fughettaVariation11 mixdolly/back/shoulder+archVariation12 back/+hi8reverseb&w cancercanonVariation13 center melodieVariation14 shoulder+subjshotsarchitectureb&w hardcuts/thrillsVariation15 balcony/grid tob&w+archVariation16 shoulder/dolly part2repeats ouvertureVariation17 shoulder/center/archVariation18 centerturnonitself! +sync!Variation19 slowcamrevealscloseup-speedimages=musicVariation20 mixback/hi8(b&w) dissolves=countermovements2handsVariation21 mixmixbalcony/dolly/shoulder+arch heavyVariation22 shoulder/dollyrepeatsinmovement&cutsVariation23 back+subjshots2fr2fr followingrepeatsVariation24 balcony/hi8(cfr12)"3differentdancers"Variation25 dollywalkingVariation26 frontVariation27 frontX22manualscanonVariation28 shoulder/stillsof2fr+stillsof1fr thrillers+countersVariation29 front/back/subj/shouldersteve&arch&bis...flashbacks+fwdineditVariation30 outsideoveramsterdam folktunesAriadacapo frontflashbacksindance...soundoutsidecomesin....

ANINTRODUCTIONBYSTEVEPAXTONABOUTTHEGOLDBERGVARIATIONSAugust1992

ln1982,GlennGouldreleasedasecondrecordingoftheGoldbergVariationsbyJohanSebastianBach.Severalthingshappenedbetweenthefirstrecording,in1955,andthisone.lnthese27yearshehadstoppedperformingforliveaudiencesinpreferencefortherecordingstudio.Andduringthistimerecordingtechnologymaturedtobecomemoreprecise,andsoundreproductionbecametruer;closertotheintentionsofthemusician.

Iwantedtolistentobothversionsandstudythedifferences,soIstartedthisprojectin1986.Beingadancer,Inaturallylistenedwithmywholebody,ratherthanlistenonlywithmyearsandperhapsletonefoottapouttherhythm.

Bachisreputedtohavebeenabrilliantimproviser.Ofcoursewehaveinheritedonlyhismusicalwritings;thougheveninthesescoresthereisopportunity,fromperformancetoperformance,forchange,adaptation,orinterpretation.GlennGould,bychoosingthestudio,furtherremovedusfromthelivingsourceofmusic-themovementofbodyandmind.Instead,theseunchangingrecordingsaretheequivalentofsoundpaintings,orsonicsculpture,oracousticalarchitecture.Itwasmusicasanart,caughtonthewingin1955;in1982hecouldcomposehisversionlikeatilemosaicinthestudio.Bothrecordingsareembeddedinsomecomputeddisc,fixedasmusichasneverbeenbefore.

AsIdanceIamfascinatedwiththisnewreality.Itrytodanceeveryperformancedifferently-newspacing,newdirections,newrelationshipstothenotes.Iwanttoexaminethepossibleconnectionsthesetwomastershaveleftforustohear:reflectingaswellthateverytimewelisten,wearedifferent.Realizingthathoweverwe,attheendofthe20thcentury,canfixthemomentofperformance.Wedonotexperiencethisfixitytwicethesame...

Wethelistenersarealive(asthemusicisnot),andsotheequationbetweentheperformanceofmusicandtheexperienceofitbringsusbacktothechangesofourmind,andimprovisation.ThemoreIlistened,themoreIheardbeyondthebrillianceofcompositionandperformance,thereassuringbaritoneofGouldthatcanbeheard.Itisthevocalequivalentoffoot-tapping.Itisapartofhismindapartfromhisfingers;itcroonstothem.OthermusicBachmighthaveincludedorreinforcesmelodiclinesaroundwhichthefingersdanced.

lnperformingtotheserecordingshisvoicehasbeenacompanioninmythoughtsonmusicalfixityinthesedays.It,too,isfixed;butit'stracessurvivedespitetherecordingtechnology,notbecauseofit.Gouldsaidheplayedbetterwhenhesang,andheplayedsoamazinglythatthevoice,subdued,remainstoremindusthatthemusicwasoncepumpedbyblood.AndIassumethatBachmighthavehummedwhenhisfingerswerebusywithhismusic.

Ihaveusedthe1982recordingforvariations1to15.Variations16to30arefromthe1955recording.lnthisvideotapemyimprovisingbecomesfixed.Itiscomposedlikesomeofthemusicalforms,frommanyimprovisationsrecordedin1992,atFelixMeritisinAmsterdam;withaveryhelpfultechnicalcrewandadirectorwhomIgreetagainandthank.

KAAITHEATERMAGAZINE,1992-1993

WalterVerdinoverdansvideo

“(...)indepraktijkwordjetochgeconfronteerdmettweeopties:registrerenversusbewerken.Datmoetjeeigenlijkopzijwetentezettenomdevideomeereenmetaforischevoorstellingvandedanstekunnenlatenzijn.Ietswateenbeeldopzichis,watvoordedansindeeersteplaatsgezetkanworden.Wantdaarbenikinderdaadnoghetmeestingeïnteresseerd:inhetbeeldenhetgeluid,inhetspelenmethetsynchrone,inhetverloopervan,inhetplotselinguitelkaarhalenvanbeeldengeluid,waardoorjeopeensveelmeerimpactkrijgt.Misschienkomikopdiewijzenogwelooittoteenechtevideochoreografie.”

HermanAsselberghsoverWalterVerdin

“NaastVerdinsalsmaargroeiendebekommernisomhetmenselijkelichaam,vormtzijninteresseindematerialiteitvanhetbeeldwellichtdedoorslaggevenderedenwaaromhijbijdedansvideoisbeland.Zoalseenchoreograafurenonverdrotenmetzijnvertrouwdeinstrument–hetlichaam–werkt,zoworsteltdezevideomakergraagmetzijnapparatuur,demontagetafel.Uitzijnkennisvandetechnischemogelijkheden(quasionbegrensdmaarpeperduur)endestatus(problematischwantondergeschiktaandeanderekunsten)vanhetmediumpuurthijemoties.”

GlennGouldoverBachsGoldbergVariations

“Hetgaatkortwegomeenmuziekzonderbeginenzondereind;eenmuziekzonderechthoogtepuntenzonderechteoplossing;eenmuziekdie,zoalsdegeliefdenvanBaudelaire,lichtenonbevangenmagrustenopdevleugelsvandewind.”

Videoisrecorded,edited,electronicallyprocessed,copied,broadcast,inserted,turnedon,turnedoff,forwardwound,passedon,transmitted,installed,trans-coded,interfaced,linked,erased,lost,wornout,dubbed,frozen,woundback,slowed,fastforwarded,keyed,wiped,faded,cut,subtitled,overexposed,oversaturated,ejected,...

Danceisn’t.

WalterVerdin1989