Inspired by one of the earliest texts of Chinese philosophy, Divine Intimacies explores how nearly a thousand years of musical thought can be translated into contemporary sound.
During the performance, visualisations of the I-Ching are generated in real time. These are based on shifting combinations of Yin and Yang that guide a series of structured improvisations between the musicians, shaping the music as it unfolds and allowing each performance to take a different path. Music by Kaija Saariaho, John Cage, and J.S. Bach appears alongside a medieval chant by Hildegard von Bingen, ancient Chinese ritual drumming, and works by Yang Yong and Toshio Hosokawa. Although separated by time, geography, and musical language, these works share a sensitivity to resonance, stillness, and the subtle forces that shape the natural world.
The musicians will be surrounded by a responsive LED installation created by artist Ke Peng, with visuals by Chang Meng. Light shifts in colour and pattern across the performance, forming a changing visual landscape around the musicians.
Tangram is an artist collective specialising in multidisciplinary and cross-cultural productions. They are Associate Artists with the London Symphony Orchestra at LSO St Luke’s, where they have been praised for their “highly imaginative presentations” (I CARE IF YOU LISTEN), “deep-rooted originality” (Morning Star), “powerfully theatrical performance” (TEMPO), and “intoxicating overall mood of poetry, restraint and elegance” (The Stage).”