Of the Body

From Andreas Vesalius’ groundbreaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica to the drawings of Da Vinci and Dürer, the 16th century heralded a new fascination with the human figure. Human dissection transformed our understanding of anatomy, and the body became the subject of scientific and artistic fixation. Of The Body marries a major new song cycle by Dan Walker with some of the most rabelaisian examples of Renaissance repertoire. Drawing on Buxtehude’s masterpiece, ‘Membra Jesu Nostri’, each movement of Walker’s Of the Body is devoted to an anatomical part: the eyes, the hands, the mouth, the feet, the blood, and finally, the heart. A musical dissection of sorts, Of the Body traverses sex, sensuality, the senses and more, exploring what it means to be embodied in a digital age, our relationship to our corporeal form; our flesh and blood.

1 hour no interval

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

PROGRAMME

LYNOTE Dominique Phinot (1548)
Text: Clément Marot

MON COEUR, MON CORPS Adriaen Willaert (1545)

SOSPIRI MIEI D'AHIMÈ Adriaen Willaert (1545)

OF THE BODY I: INTROITUS Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Francesco Petrarca

DER NASENTANZ Orlande de Lassus (1576)

OF THE BODY II: SARA SARA Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Matsuo Bashō

YOUR SHINING EYES Michael East (1618)

OF THE BODY III: CALIGAVERUNT OCULI MEI Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Sarah Teasdale

IN MANUS TUAS DOMINE Thomas Tallis (1575)
Text: Psalm 31:6

OF THE BODY IV: YOUR FEET Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Pablo Neruda

SKINNY LOVE Justin Vernon arr. Roland Peelman (2007)

OF THE BODY V: REBEL BLOOD Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Andrea Aguilar Ferro

THE BODY BREAKS Devendra Banhart arr. Roland Peelman (2004)

OF THE BODY VI: ODE TO A MOUTH Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Alexander Cook

CON LA SUA MAN Luca Marenzio (1591)

PINK EDGES IV Gerard Brophy (2002)
Text: Pietro Aretino

OF THE BODY VII: HOW TO HOLD A HEART Dan Walker (2023)
Text: Malia Wollan/Dr Kathy Magliato