Does digital technology divert or enhance the musical experience of today’s concert-goers?
Author-cum-critic Ivan Hewett has singled out two concerts by two luminaries of the contemporary music scene for their modern take on the live classical performance. They caught his fancy, not for the usual reason that they were an exceptional display of artistic talent, but for their innovative use of computer technology.
The author likens Laurie Anderson’s Landfall, and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s musical show, to plain porridge. Sakamoto’s beautiful but unhurried piano pieces enthralled an audience groping for meaning, while Anderson’s performance with the Kronos Quartet, highlighted by white text on dark background projected on a big screen, was novel but unexciting.
Some interesting insights here for the musically inclined: Art as science? Computer technology and classical music.