Case-study by George van Dam
Friday 25 April 2025
10:00–13:00
Pianofabriek (Brussels)
Program
The event on 25 April will take the form of a conference-concert around the films Presto, Perfect Sound by Manon de Boer (2006) and sequenza by Manon de Boer and George van Dam (2014).
Including live performances by George van Dam of the two seminal works for solo violin that take a central position in the two films under discussion:
- from Sonata for Solo Violin, Sz117, Presto (version with micro-intervals) by Béla Bartok (1945) 6 min;
- Sequenza VIII for violin by Luciano Berio (1976) 14 min;
- and the Chaconne by JS Bach (1720) 15 min; – a ground-breaking work that had a profound impact on the two above works and on western classical music.
The short concert (36- 40 min) will be followed by screenings of the two films, followed by a brief analysis of the musical content and an in-depth look at the technical procedures and concepts that generated the making of the two films.
In both the films under discussion, the underlying concept – very broadly speaking – emerged from the desire to use the music itself as source material that suggests or invites the content and structural components of the image, as a kind of ‘dialogue’ between the possibilities of montage and structure.
Presto, Perfect Sound (by Manon de Boer) – 6 min
Manon de Boer’s film Presto — Perfect Sound depicts composer and violinist, George Van Dam, performing the fourth movement of a Bartok violin sonata. In order to achieve the ‘perfect’ soundtrack, de Boer edited together the audio track from the five different recordings with the performer and then edited the film to this soundtrack. In allowing the audio sequence to dictate the image on screen, de Boer inverts the traditional dominance of image over sound in cinema. The film is a meditation on the relationship between sound and image and offers an intense reflection on a moment of creative concentration, when the subject is fully absorbed, almost as if out of sync with the world around him.
35mm/video installation, color, 4:3, dolby surround, GB, 2006, 6’
Music Sonata for Solo Violin, Sz117, Presto (version with micro-intervals) by Béla Bartok
Performed by George van Dam
Image Christophe Bouckaert
Sound recording Jarek Frankowski, Bastien Gilson (acoustic recordings)
Sound editing George van Dam, Jarek Frankowski & Bastien Gilson
Final sound mixing Manu de Boissieu (Alea Jacta Post-Production)
Grading Roger Veroenen
Executive producer Julien Sigalas
Produced by Manon de Boer
sequenza (by Manon de Boer and George van Dam) – 14 min
sequenza is an experimental film project by Manon de Boer and George van Dam based on the composition Sequenza VIII for solo violin by Luciano Berio.
16 mm transferred to HD Video, color, 4:3, stereo, BE, 2014, 14’
Cinematography Léo Lefèvre
Image editing Manon de Boer & George van Dam
Sound editing George van Dam
Music Sequenza VIII for violin by Luciano Berio
Music performed by George van Dam
Sound recording & mastering Jaroslaw Frankowski at Acoustic Recordings Studio Brussels
Produced by Auguste Orts
With the support of Museumcultuur Strombeek/Gent, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie & Festival International d’Art de Toulouse
About George van Dam
George van Dam has often performed with new-music ensembles including the Ensemble Modern Frankfurt, MusikFabrik, Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles, Quatuor Quadro, Spectra, the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie and Ictus, of which he is a founding member. In this context, or as a soloist, he has worked with major composers of today (Adès, Aperghis, Benjamin, Chin, Eötvos, Francesconi, Goeyvaerts, Harvey, Hosokawa, Kagel, Kurtàg, Ligeti, Mamiya, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Rzewski, Saariaho, Stockhausen, Joji Yuasa, among others).
Very active in the world of dance and theatre, he has accompanied productions by Rosas/Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker (including Achterland and Partita2 on baroque violin), Josse De Pauw (Muziek LOD, Transparant), Ultima Vez/Wim Vandekeybus, Ballet de Marseille, Needcompany/Jan Lauwers, Kaaitheater/Jan Ritsema.
George van Dam studied violin with Georges Octors, Jacques Israelevitch and others and in master classes with Dorothy DeLay, Zinaïda Gilels, Albert Markov, Aaron Rosand and Rainer Kussmaul.
His own work as a composer includes chamber music, the song cycles Engel-Lieder for James Bowman, Lorca Songs, Melanchotopia Songs (in collaboration with Claron McFadden), a violin concerto with timbila orchestra for Drumming Grupo Percussão Porto, music for theatre and dance performances, as well as collaborative projects with the visual artists Manon de Boer, Angela Bulloch, Trudo Engels, Ana Torfs and others.
He has composed and produced several scores for film, (Plateau Prize at the Ghent Film Festival in 2005) including the recent production The Chapel by Dominique Deruddere. George van Dam studied harpsichord with Robert Kohnen, Elisabeth Joyé and in masterclasses with Ketil Haugsand and Bob van Asperen.
Practical Information
Date: Friday 25 April 2025
Time: 10:00–13:00
Venue: Pianofabriek (rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles)
Tickets are free, on registration only (limited space)
If you want to attend, please email us at soundimageculture@gmail.com