On August 3, composer extraordinaire Joseph Bertolozzi will celebrate the tenth anniversary of his unprecedented and absolutely unique Bridge Music album (DE 1045) that was released on Delos in 2009.
Two years in the making, this stunning program actually featured the use of a large suspension bridge over the Hudson River in New York (The Mid-Hudson Bridge) as a massive musical instrument. Individual pieces could be performed by a band of players: musicians stationed at various locations all over the bridge using drumsticks, mallets, large log sections and other (mostly percussive) devices to produce actual music by striking assorted sections of the bridge (railings, cable sections, towers and other metallic surfaces) that had been pre-selected for their accurate production of notes and pitches of actual diatonic scales when struck. Alternatively, Bertolozzi preserved electronic samples of the multitude of the sounds produced, and used them to assemble “virtual” compositions.
It would be futile to attempt describing the entire project in detail here, given its complexity, extensive preparations and eclectic inspiration. We are therefore linking various explanatory features (a website, a detailed podcast and a video)—as well as the album’s actual liner notes. Simply click on any or all of the links below to trace the album’s genesis and to hear extensive samples:
Our three-part podcast
Explore More
Event information
And quite a celebration it will be, featuring (among other events) a festive ribbon-cutting, a tour of the bridge, a chance for the public to “play along” with supplied drumsticks and a 9 PM lightshow—all with the local press in attendance. So if you happen to be in the Poughkeepsie area on August 3, drop by to join in on the festivities. For full details, click HERE!
