“In 1967, a young astronomer detected in the heavens a rapidly varying radio signal, in the form of periodic impulses 1.3 seconds apart. The discovery caused a sensation. The impulses were so regular that for a while they were taken to be signals coming from extraterrestrial civilisations. Then astrophysicists revealed a truth that was just as surprising: the signals were being emitted by a pulsar, the fantastic compact residue created by the supernova explosions that long ago disintegrated the massive stars.”
-Jean-Pierre Luminet, Astrophysicist at the Paris-Meudon Observatory
More than twenty years later, Gérard Grisey (check our post about him here) was commissioned by the French ensemble Les Percussions de Strasbourg to write a piece for six percussion stations that surround the audience. This coming Sunday, June 17, ensemble Talujon will perform Grisey’s piece as the closing pièce de résistance of the 2012 Bang on a Can Marathon. I figured it was a good time to share this MP3 with you:
[audio:http://icareifyoulisten.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ICIYL-Le-Noir-de-lEtoile-Gerard-Grisey.mp3]Link to MP3 – Le Noir de l’Etoile (Gerard Grisey)
Finally, here is a video teaser of Talujon’s upcoming performance: