Via the wonders of the web, I've been following the fortunes of the Plinthers in Trafalgar Square, those intrepid individuals who stand for an hour alone on the Fourth Plinth as part of Anthony Gormley's "One & Other" artwork.
So far I've seen people promoting worthy causes, others just 'being', and a young chap dressed as a panda taking phone calls (very dull - we could only hear his side of the call.) Yet, so far, nothing musical that really uses the space. (Please bear in mind I don't watch this 24/7: I have a life and an opera company to run!)
Today was the exception. Today, from 12 noon to 1pm, composer Lawrence Reed took to the plinth, and for him that was a very big deal indeed. Reed suffers from acrophobia, an extreme fear of heights, and he looked absolutely petrified. Yet he proceeded to conduct a 'scratch' orchestra from his deckchair on the plinth, playing the world premiere of his work "the ebb of acrophobia".
Coming in cold to the event, I had no idea of the event's history, so didn't realise until afterwards that the players had downloaded scores from the composer's website, which only made the effect more magical.
To open, the entire orchestra, passers-by (and some confused pigeons) moaned the syllables of the word "acrophobia". It was a strange moment, as if the chorus from a Greek tragedy had found voice in the middle of the Trafalgar Square traffic, accompanied the insistent splashing of the fountains.
Then, the first movement began, a majestic, almost heroic chord sequence emerging from nowhere, created by singers, harmonica, sax players, strings, flutes, Hohner Melodicas (a plastic keyboard instrument you blow into), a double bass, Indian drums, French horns, and a brave bassoonist.
After a rather unsuccessful second movement, a return to the first moaning movement now included a soprano soloist, her clear tones rising above the undertones to soar above the plinth - a super moment of vocal power and pathos.
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However, and this is perhaps the issue with contemporary music in the open air, by now it all sounded rather same-y. And then it started to rain, which reduced the number of available players somewhat. I must confess, after 45 minutes, I'd had enough too.
Yet I think Reed managed to success in his aim, to explore “Is it possible to create in a community a musical monument? A sculpture involving all or part sound” and the project is all the richer for his involvement.
Despite quite a lot of research, I haven't managed to identify any opera singers or opera companies doing a plinth slot.
Philip_J from Scotland may give it a go: "Whatever I do - will it be arty enough, interesting enough; will it just be banal; or, at worst, will it look like a bad audition for Britain's Got Talent? I like opera, Renaissance art, JS Bach, Doctor Who and Swansea City FC."
And Sarcdanelli (8pm Thurs 23 July) is a "singer-songwriter, and composer of electroacoustic and acousmatic music", so goodness knows what he'll get up to.
If you're planning to sing on the Fourth Plinth (or have already done so and I've missed you), do let us know of your experiences here at OperaTalent.
After all, opera is high art, and therefore deserves its place on that lofty plinth too!
Kirsty Young
We received a message on 15th September from Yula Andrews:
"Soprano Elinor Chapman sparkled on the fourth plinth between midnight and 1am this morning!"
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