das minimum |
Dr. rhythm himself |
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A balloon is maltreated: It is plucked, spit on, scratched, and gets an extremely rough massage. Its whining thickens amidst stormy rhythms to an accoustic gale. At last its trial is over, and it explodes - with a last loud bang. The percussionist attacks the keys of the disconnected synthesizer, pants and snorts in time with the coarsely squeaking Waldteufel as well as the masterly beaten darabuka-drum, and tickles a highly explosive beat out of two match boxes. But Witzmann does not boast of technical exertion, instead of which he creates a noisy atmosphere in which he - without words - reflects on a composer's delights and disillusions. When the last matches have fallen from the boxes, Witzmann shakes them soundlessly for some minutes more - silently beating time to a music which is heard by the composer alone. |
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Stuttgarter Zeitung
24. Juli 1992 wer |
das minimum || description
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The pig's orchestra's rehearsal |
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Out of everyday noises the musician builds up fascinating sounds which he leaves floating above the rhythms of Swing or Afro-Cuban music. In doing so, elements of Jazz, Rock and New Music are fused. |
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Stuttgarter Nachrichten |
das minimum || description
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The crackling washing of a ballon |
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At the theatre a badly used paperhanger's table presents all sorts of knick-knack: a candle, a glass of water, bird whistles, a toy organ, match boxes, to the right a promisingly opened suitcase with two jet black balloons, proclaiming detonations. Witz-mann comes on stage and does nothing - that is, he is reflecting, no doubt, filling up sheets of music with charcoal, using ever wider motions and producing noises that send a shiver down your spine (spontaneous reminiscences of dentists!), only to crumple the sheets dissatisfied. B-A-C-H, A-D-E, Es-C-H-Eis-E can be seen on the sheets, and on these tone letters trite improvisations arise. C-A-G-E, at last, is convincing, and remains, though slighty burnt, on the table. Then Witzmann, like Cage, explores the sound qualities of his surroundings. Everything becomes rhythm, sound, even melody: intelli-gently thought up, masterly performed, and on the whole so entertaining that the initially rather perplexed audience are laughing until the tears come. |
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Rheinische Post
28. September 1993 Peter Korfmacher |
das minimum || description
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The end of the performance calls forth uproarious applause. "Das minimum" as a maximum achievement, a maximum output of minimum material. |
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Die Glocke (Gütersloh)
29. Juni 1993 ved (i.e. Vedder) |