In Plain Air (2018)
Instrumentation: 11 instruments + organ
Electronics: Yes
Duration: 75'
Composer(s): Multiple movements composed by Nathan Davis and Phyllis Chen
Commissioned by Christ Church Preservation Trust with support from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage
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Notes: As Christ Church Philadelphia installed its C.B. Fisk pipe organ—the latest in a 300-year history of grand church organs within the space—it invited members of the acclaimed International Contemporary Ensemble to inaugurate the new instrument with a program of original compositions. Composers Phyllis Chen (known for her work with hand-wound music boxes and toy pianos) and Nathan Davis (a percussionist fascinated by the mechanics of instruments) immersed themselves in the sound-making possibilities of the church’s organ, bells, and open spaces, as well as the history and public role of the venerable institution. The resulting multi-movement program unites the historic bell tolls of “The Nation’s Church,” the majesty of the intricately constructed organ, and the Ensemble’s characteristic focus on place and community into a one-of-a-kind sonic experience—a worthy welcome to an instrument that will continue to ring in the ears of visitors for the next 300 years. The evolution of In Plain Air will encompass other communities, other organs, and the unique dynamics of every new setting where the piece is performed.