A special FINALE Live Stream of LOCKDOWN VEXATIONS marked the anniversary of the first full performance of Vexations organised by John Cage in New York in 1963 and took place on WEDNESDAY 9th September at 4pm BST streaming live at Mutek Festival 2020.
There may be future opportunities to take part … so watch this space… people who took part followed these instructions : – Play one round of VEXATIONS and record yourself on video with audio (in ‘landscape’ orientation for best results). Download the score HERE, or email me for a copy. Please send your video by file transfer to kathy@kathyhinde.co.uk and let me know where in the world you recorded it! Performer names and locations will be credited on each iteration.
The first full live streamed randomised rendition of LOCKDOWN VEXATIONS happened at Midday on Sunday 17th May 2020 for Satie’s 154th Birthday. The stream of 840 repetitions lasted 26 hours 42 minute 45 seconds… Highlights were featured on BBC Radio 3 In Tune and selected for The Guardian ‘Listening Picks‘ in May.
It’s widely thought to be composed for piano (although Satie doesn’t state this), so if you don’t have a piano, then another keyboard instrument can work.
Example video of one cycle of Vexations
VEXED LOCKDOWN It would be great to also gather creative responses to Vexations. This is open to your interpretation… Get into the spirit of Vexations – Maybe prepare with a long silence? or by listening to Vexations 840 times? … then create your response using whatever media you choose. Feel free to be as ambiguous and multifaceted as Satie himself… When sending your VEXED RESPONSE, if it is video or audio, please host the media on your own account (youtube / vimeo / soundcloud etc) and send me a link so I can embed it on this site. For images and text, I can post directly. Please include a short sentence about your piece, your name where you made it. Email to me at kathy@kathyhinde.co.uk – see examples HERE
For more info about the project and Vexations – go to ABOUT
VEXATIONS 