Other Minds Special Programs ➔ Prelude to an Ice Field with Henry Brant

Digital Moving Image

Event Type

Interview and Music

Origin

Other Minds

Identifier

OMP.2001.08.31

Program Length

9 min

Dates

2001-08-31 | created

Description

Charles Amirkhanian visits Henry Brant at Davies Symphony Hall during a rehearsal for Brant's spatial composition Ice Field; commissioned by Other Minds and premiered by the San Francisco Symphony in December of 2001. Captured are conversations with the symphony's then Music Director, Michael Tilson Thomas and other symphony staff.

About Ice Field: The music was inspired by a 1926 ocean voyage to Europe from North America, made by the composer at the age of 12. At a certain point in the trip, the ship had to navigate through a maze of large chunks of ice, creating potential danger for ship, crew and passengers. The experience left an indelible impression on young Henry. Ice Field was composed for large orchestral groups and organ, arrayed in widely separated locations in the performance space. It was commissioned by Other Minds, with funds from the Rockefeller Foundation’s Multi-Arts Production Fund, and premiered by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under Michael Tilson Thomas. Brant’s work was awarded the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Music Composition. The piece is subtitled “Spatial Narratives for Large and Small Orchestral Groups” and utilizes more than 100 players and two conductors.

Genres

21st century classical

Performers

Henry Brant, organ

Subjects

Spatial music
Organ music--21st century

Rights Summary

Related places

San Francisco (Calif.) (was recorded at)
San Francisco (Calif.) (depicts)

Related Entities

Other Minds
San Francisco Symphony
Brant, Henry, 1913-2008
Thomas, Michael Tilson, 1944-
Amirkhanian, Charles
Wilkowski, Kathy