55 mph

a 5-seconds-piece by Amnon Wolman [2004]

duration: 5"


[first performed: Kulturbunker Cologne / Germany, may 26th 2004]


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.

Amnon gave us -as a present- a CD with a few 5 second long tracks, from which we each chose one. We were to try to play what we heard as best as we could on our instruments. Matthias' task  for instance was to imitate a busy road while Sven had to illuminate a scene consisting of an accordion player performing in a well-visited beergarden full of guests engaged in smalltalk recorded from afar.

 

[translated by Michael Rook]

 

more 5-seconds-pieces