APPARATUS OF LIES
a 5-seconds piece by Eric Flesher [2003]

duration: 5''

 

[first performed: BKA Berlin / Germany, April 22nd 2003]

 

 

In the summer 2002, we had the idea of a project. It was the question: Is it possible for a composer to express his musical identity convincingly within an extremely limited duration and with an additional instruction from us? All composers were set the task to write a piece of 5 seconds duration (maximum!) and "as cruel as possible, trash, hardcore, punk" for electrified accordion, electric bass and live electronics, with or without voice, composition, conceptual improvisation, performance, CD-playback. At the same time each of the pieces is more than just a statement, a mere musical fingerprint of the composer - each composition develops its completely individual form and is complete in its’ self.

 

And it works.

With his piece Eric issued an explicit statement on the US Bush era. He wrote about his piece: 

The piece is called "apparatus of lies" and it comes with a short sound file created from short cuts from a speech by George W. Bush. He had attempted to quote a common expression from Texas: "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." The exact words however failed to come to his mind so he said instead: "fool me once....(pause)... shame on...(pause)...shame on you...(lange pause)...ih-fool-muh can't get fooled again." He allegedly could only remember the Who song.