In the boom of the tingling strings
In the boom of the
tingling strings considers how domestic music-making can operate as a social activator, the
role of the amateur musician within society and the cultural and social
significance of the piano, as an emblem of social mobility and aspiration.
Historically,
the piano could be seen as a signifier of the rise of the middle class. From
its origins as entertainment for western aristocracy; to becoming the main
source of music within the home until the early/mid 20th century,
and most recently, ‘piano fever’ in China - as the popularity of piano lessons
for the children of the expanding middle classes has reached unprecedented
heights, with factories producing over 100,000 pianos a year.
Gillard
is interested in the notion of ‘practice’ or ‘rehearsal’ in a musical context
and revealing this private or solitary act in a more public domain. The
installation Practice, invites
professional and amateur musicians to use the gallery as a rehearsal space. At
specific times throughout the exhibition, musicians of all abilities will practice
non-amplified music, making use of the baby-grand piano, moveable seating and acoustic
screens. Visitors are invited to view the rehearsals, pushing the normally
solitary or closed activity into the realm of performance. The music played,
with its mistakes, repetitions and slips, will become the soundtrack for the
exhibition, shifting the meaning and relationships between works.
As Furniture, As
Discipline
is a song essay performed to camera by the artist’s mother, sisters and nieces.
The melody is adapted from ‘I Love You Truly’, (Carrie Jacobs-Bond, 1913), the
first song written es.by a woman to sell over 1 million copies of sheet music. The
lyrics, written by the artist, explore female identity and piano playing - an
activity that could be perceived as both oppressive and emancipative in the
19/20th century. The sentimental tune and the hymn-like quality of
the lyrics contrasts with the modern context and obvious effort and discomfort
of the performers. Both humorous and strange in its domesticity, the video
poses questions about the place of amateur music making within the home, family
relationships and gender-specific activities.
In Ear
training/ Rhythm/ Notation/ Technique/ Improvisation/ Sight reading/
Memorization/ Repertoire, (8min), a male voice recites a monologue using piano
pedagogy, autobiographical and fictional narratives, word chords and bad
musical jokes.
A fragmented narrative
combining casual reminiscences and informative texts addresses the dual
function of a piano as both an instrument and an object, heavy with cultural
and personal references.
The
text works in the exhibition explore the relationship between writing,
performance and music. Word Chord 1, 2, 3
function as both scores (playable on the piano) and concrete poems. Texts for a piano plinth expand on the
relationship between the piano and musicians/non musicians, using fictional
narratives, poetry and autobiographical referenc