Wim Henderickx: Official - Sacred Places I (Angel)

Sacred Places I (Angel) for percussion and electronics was commissioned by the Concertgebouw Bruges in 2017
for 'The Angel Series'. This work was inspired by the mural ‘Angel’ of Belgian artist Luc Tuymans, which he painted
on the concrete wall of the ‘Angel Room’ at the Concertgebouw Bruges.
It premiered in that venue in November 2017 with percussionist Dominique Vleeshouwers and electronics by
the composer himself.

Wim Henderickx was inspired by three elements of the mural; the black shadowed head, the wings of the angel
and the harp.

For the musical material, the first part of the Gregorian 'Missa de Angelis', the Kyrie, served as an inspiration.
The work has three parts: Kyrie, Christe and Kyrie and they flow into one another without interruption.
In the first Kyrie he uses metal instruments, such as crotales, triangles, Tibetan cymbals, etc.
They create a mysterious and also theatrical atmosphere.
In Christe, heavy rhythms are performed in different speeds on a set-up of different skin instruments.
In the final part, the second Kyrie, the basic melody is recognizable in the crotales.

The percussionist also uses his voice as a supplement and support of the percussion part; whispering, shouting, singing,... The electronics produce a constant metallic sound, which is very static. This is to depict the background of the painting,
a concrete wall.

According to Luc Tuymans, this painting is both attractive and somewhat offensive. Wim Henderickx used this double sidedness in the musical evocation; crude passages are alternated with graceful melodic fragments. The entire atmosphere of the work has something of a shamanic ritual. The title Sacred Places refers to a form of spirituality.

'The Angel Series' premieres can be re-listened to at the Concertgebouw Bruges and online: www.concertgebouw.be

Trailer premiere Sacred Places I (Angel) at the Concertgebouw Bruges

SACRED PLACES I (Angel)

RECORDINGS

SCORE

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INSTRUMENTATION / EXTRA INFORMATION