Jozef van Wissem, Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 7:00 PM
ISSUE Project Room – Brooklyn, NY
Exclusive concert
Dutch composer and lutenist Jozef van Wissem is devoted to what he terms “The Liberation of the Lute”. Taking an experimental approach to ancient forms of lute music, his compositions involve a mix of conceptual, minimalist, classical and improvisational strategies, bridging the language of 17th century music with that of the 21st, without compromising the timbre and resonance of traditional lute playing techniques.
His music is uncluttered and direct, with a viscerally hypnotic and emotional impact,delivered with an ascetic intensity reflected both in his Biblical titles and his No Wave influences. An incessantly touring musician, van Wissem’s hypnotic live shows have taken him all over the world. He has records out on Important Records and his own Incunabulum label and has collaborated with James Blackshaw, Keiji Haino and Jim Jarmusch amongst others. Van Wissem studied lute in New york with Pat O’Brien and released a classical lute CD A Rose By Any Other Name consisting of anonymous lute pieces. He lectures on “The Liberation of the Lute” (at Harvard, Wesleyan University, Mills College amongst others) and was commissioned by The National Gallery of London to compose a sound piece to Hans Holbein’s painting The Ambassadors. His work is featured more and more in documentaries and feature films and he recently composed pieces for lute and voice for the new Sims Medieval video game.
