Program highlight: The Bell Laboratory + Pantha du Prince

TodaysArt 2012 will feature an high profile collaboration with the performance “Elements of Light”, performed by the six-member cast of The Bell Laboratory and none other than German electronic producer Pantha du Prince (Hendrik Weber). Using a carillon, or in other words, church bells, they have created an entrancing performance crafted on the intersection between electronic elements and classical composition. The result is a fitting tribute to the mysticism surrounding this old, religious instrument.

Bells arranged in carillon form have been regular features of church steeples throughout Europe since early medieval times. The use of bells represents an autonomous development of Pantha du Prince’s sound
aesthetic, a logical continuation of the work heard on his latest album, ‘Black Noise’ (Rough Trade Records, 2010).

Weber has collaborated with Norwegian conductor, instrumentalist and electro-acoustic composer Lars Petter Hagen to create “Elements of Light”, a 40-minute symphony for carillon, live percussion and electronic programming. “Elements of Light” is a composition into imaginary space, brought to life through transcription, rehearsals and live implementation with Oslo City Hall’s carillonneur Vegar Sandholt and percussionists Martin Horntveth of Jaga Jazzist, Erland Dahlen of Madrugada, Håkon Stene of the Norwegian Academy of Music and Heming Valebjørg of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.

The piece’s inaugural presentation was at Oslo’s Øya Festival last year August, with the German premiere following a month later at a sold out Berlin performance in the gallery Vittorio Manalese.