BIG EARS FESTIVAL

133 Years of Reverb

Composed by Jonny Greenwood
Performed by James McVinnie & Eliza McCarthy

Fri   Mar   28   2025 - 12:00 AM St. John's Cathedral

“X Years of Reverb was written to agitate and reanimate all the music, voices and sounds that have ever filled the air/soaked into the walls of the space where the music is played. To coax them out of the fabric of the building, so they can be distilled and concentrated into just eight hours.” – Jonny Greenwood

133 Years of Reverb is an audacious exploration designed to stir the echoes of music and voices embedded in the very fabric of the performance space. Set in the historic St. John’s Cathedral, built in 1892, this piece taps into the cathedral’s rich acoustic history. The performance is anchored by the cathedral’s magnificent pipe organ, which has been a central feature of its expansive interior since its installation. As the audience surrounds the space, the music will fill every corner of the cathedral, transforming it into a dynamic soundscape. The experience is akin to navigating a sonic rainbow, where each frequency revitalizes the room and reawakens its history of music and celebration. The performance draws inspiration from the gradual, revelatory approach of Indian Carnatic music and the concept of circular rather than linear melodies, allowing the sounds to transcend the audible spectrum. As daylight fades, the final moments of 133 Years of Reverb will unfold in near-darkness, enhancing the sense of immersion and allowing the echoes to resonate deeply within this historic sanctuary. Prepare for an unforgettable sonic adventure where the cathedral’s timeless acoustics meet a groundbreaking exploration of sound.

BIG EARS
03.27_03.30.25
Knoxville, TN · USA

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