When we hear the word “symphony,” famous works by Beethoven and Haydn usually come to mind first. After this immediate reaction regarding the Classical, perhaps Romantic composers such as Dvorak and Mahler are recognized as well. There seems to be a general connection between the term “symphony” and tonal music, since the consonant pieces are so well-known. All listeners should take note, however, that a symphony can feature music so dissonant and atonal, it may be categorized as noise.
Glenn Branca is a successful minimalist composer who has been giving birth to experimental symphonies since the early 1980’s. The American musician strives to achieve sounds that present themselves as alien and as if not from this world. What a better way to do so than to experiment with the modern phenomenon of musical atonality?
Like any artist, Branca’s works have become more complex over time. His first symphony, Symphony No. 1: Total Plexus (1981), featured many electric guitars, which he had been experimenting with previously. Using other common instruments, including keyboard and percussion, he intended to create an extensive theater-like piece. Branca’s curiosity with sound began early; for instance, he used unconventional resources for his guitar strings. This inspired him to completely reconstruct instruments for his 1982 piece, Symphony No. 2: The Peak of the Sacred. These creations, resembling the timbre of a zither, were utilized for further harmonic exploration. Microtonality with harpsichords began with Symphony No. 3: Gloria (Music For the First 127 Intervals of the Harmonic Series) (1983), and his touring career launched with Symphony No. 4: Physics (1983).
Noise level increased in 1984 with Symphony No. 5: Describing Planes of An Expanding Hypersphere. The piece, featured below, contained simple instruments again to be performed in an acoustic space. This time, however, the music had such intricate harmonics that it actually simulated the sounds of absent instruments, such as voices and strings. These illusions cannot translate well onto recordings, unfortunately. This is something we had experienced first-hand with Michael Gordon’s piece, “Timber.”
This video is a clear example why live performances are better than the recorded aftermath. The drums cannot be heard well over everything else, and our computer speakers cannot deliver the same exciting vibrations and emotions that Branca could directly feel. The cacophony he creates sounds as if it would appear in a cinematic score, like that in “Inception.” Without percussion, it feels as if the piece has little to no movement, which makes his dynamic conducting seem excessive. Combined with the music/noise created, it looks as though he’s controlling an exorcism, not a symphony.
If you are interested in reading about his later works (Symphonies 6 through 15), you can find the article here.
Symphony No. 15: Running Through The World Like An Open Razor (Music for Strange Orchestra), which is Branca’s latest symphony, is actually being performed at Le Poisson Rouge this Sunday! I’m sure that it would make a wonderful outing for anyone interested.
You should go to the concert! (Or another one like it). You are absolutely right that experiencing this live in a theater or concert space has a direct effect on the experience. The hypnotic effect of this piece is something that Branca, Michael Gordon and a whole host of other young composers harness in their work. there is also something “young” and physical about the process, which typically builds to a point where there is a kind of “mosh pit” of activity on the stage, which generates clear excitement in the room. A question to raise, however, is this: “does this create an actual “artistic” experience, or is it the “artistic” equivalent of the dopamine rush one gets from repetitive physical exercise?” In short, you don’t get the same level of physicality from hearing a Beethoven symphony, but I think you get a richer artistic experience. (Or maybe I’m just an old-fashioned stick in the mud?)