Joëlle Tuerlinckx & B'Rock

John Cage found his inspiration for 'Atlas Eclipticalis' in the 'Atlas Eclipticalis 1950.0' astronomical atlas, published in 1958 by the Czech astronomer Antonín Becvár. Cage took the book literally as a point of departure: he put the musical staves on top of the maps, drawing dots where the stars appeared, smaller or larger, lighter or heavier depending on the strength of the starlight. The result is a score that looks as if you were looking up at the sky. And that's how the work sounds, with mostly soft and delicate tones in a continuum of silence. The parts are arranged in 'events' of one to ten notes. The pitch is noted clearly but unconventionally, with the size of the notes determining the strength of their dynamic. Conductors and orchestras must strictly observe the instructions as laid down in the score. This was undoubtedly the case in the very first performance in Montreal in 1961, which Cage conducted himself. He wrote the work, moreover, for a variable orchestra, ranging from 1 to 86 performers. B'Rock has selected a version for eight baroque instruments that will certainly increase the work's clearness and serenity. The sculptor Joelle Tuerlinckx, struck by the visual aspect of the score, takes up the challenge of interpreting Cage's composition in sculpture. A fascinating concert is guaranteed for both ear and eye!