Davóne Tines's Barbican residency has been a welcome respite for fans of avant-garde music, providing a platform to celebrate the life and work of the trailblazing composer Julius Eastman. The American maverick, who navigated the New York arts scene in the 1970s and 1980s, left an indelible mark on the world of minimalist music.
Tines's recent performance at the Barbican, which included arrangements of several of Eastman's pieces, demonstrated his deep understanding of the composer's eclectic output. The program featured Touch Him When, arranged for electric guitar, which showed off its visceral intensity, while Piano 2 presented a stark contrast with its elegant, early-20th-century sound.
One of the highlights of the evening was The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc, a work composed for 10 cellos and performed by Tines himself. His voice took on a commanding presence as he intoned the prelude, which seemed to channel the spirit of Joan of Arc, defying convention with unyielding resolve.
The performance also featured Eastman's iconic Gay Guerilla, reworked for three pianists at two pianos, cello, electric guitar, and voice. The arrangement was a masterclass in building tension, as Tolling chords shifted and harmonized until the music burst forth in acerbic iterations of the Lutheran battle hymn Ein Feste Burg.
Throughout the evening, Tines worked closely with cellist Seth Parker Woods to recreate Eastman's vision, often with impressive results. However, it was impossible not to wonder what might have been if some of that extra cellistic firepower had been on hand.
In any case, Davóne Tines has proven himself to be a capable conduit for the music of Julius Eastman, shedding light on a pivotal figure in American avant-garde history. As interest in Eastman's work continues to grow, it will be fascinating to see how his legacy unfolds in the years to come.
Tines's recent performance at the Barbican, which included arrangements of several of Eastman's pieces, demonstrated his deep understanding of the composer's eclectic output. The program featured Touch Him When, arranged for electric guitar, which showed off its visceral intensity, while Piano 2 presented a stark contrast with its elegant, early-20th-century sound.
One of the highlights of the evening was The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc, a work composed for 10 cellos and performed by Tines himself. His voice took on a commanding presence as he intoned the prelude, which seemed to channel the spirit of Joan of Arc, defying convention with unyielding resolve.
The performance also featured Eastman's iconic Gay Guerilla, reworked for three pianists at two pianos, cello, electric guitar, and voice. The arrangement was a masterclass in building tension, as Tolling chords shifted and harmonized until the music burst forth in acerbic iterations of the Lutheran battle hymn Ein Feste Burg.
Throughout the evening, Tines worked closely with cellist Seth Parker Woods to recreate Eastman's vision, often with impressive results. However, it was impossible not to wonder what might have been if some of that extra cellistic firepower had been on hand.
In any case, Davóne Tines has proven himself to be a capable conduit for the music of Julius Eastman, shedding light on a pivotal figure in American avant-garde history. As interest in Eastman's work continues to grow, it will be fascinating to see how his legacy unfolds in the years to come.
he totally captured the essence of julius eastman's music - that guy was like a pioneer or something! and wow, that performance with 10 cellos was mind-blowing 
the way he channelled joan of arc's spirit was so cool! 
but yeah, it would've been nice to have more cellists on stage lol. anyway, i'm glad davóne tines is sharing eastman's music with a wider audience - we need more minimalist vibes in our lives 
i'm glad to see more ppl getting into eastman's music too, cuz like we know how influential he was in the minimalist scene 
but i do wish we had seen more of that extra cellistic firepower lol anyway tines is def one of my go-to conductors for eastman works 
davóne tines is like a genius for getting to know julius eastman's music so well!!! i loved how he brought out that intense energy in touch him when and contrasted it with piano 2, it was like two different worlds 
but what i thought was kinda cool was how he worked with seth parker woods on the holy presence of joan d'arc - they made such a great team! 
and the way he reworked eastman's pieces was genius. can't wait to hear more about julius eastman's legacy - so interesting to see how his music continues to inspire new artists! 
but what if he had more cellos on stage? 
Anyway, his performance at the Barbican was fire 
and it's awesome that people are getting into Eastman's music again. It's like, this guy was a total trailblazer in minimalism 
and his work is still influencing artists today. I'm hyped to see what's next for Tines and the world of avant-garde music 
! I mean, I was there at the Barbican and it was amazing, but when I try to watch videos on here... ugh! The quality is just terrible. And don't even get me started on the comments section - can't we all just be civil for once? 
It's always some drama or another. Anyway, back to Davóne Tines... I was really impressed by his performance of Julius Eastman's music. The guy is a total genius, and I love how he's keeping the composer's legacy alive. But honestly, have you guys tried watching the video in full screen? It makes all the difference! 
but honestly, I think Tines stole the show with his powerful vocals - it sent shivers down my spine when he did The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc 
. Can't wait to see more of these arrangements and explore Eastman's discography further 
And don't even get me started on the electric guitar arrangements - it's like we're trying to make minimalism more "cool" by throwing random noise at it 
.
. And can we talk about the energy of "The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc"? I felt like I was transported to another world 
! 
! He really gets what makes Julius Eastman's music so special - it's all about pushing boundaries and defying expectations 
!
. It's mind-blowing to consider how these pieces were created back then, with no computer or recording technology in sight... just pure human creativity and innovation 
. And what strikes me is that even though we're all connected through time and space via the internet, our experiences of art remain deeply personal 
. For some, it's about the thrill of discovery; for others, it's about connection to a specific era or movement... whatever the case, I think we can all agree that Eastman's music has left an indelible mark on us 
. I'm loving the renewed interest in Eastman's work - it's high time his legacy got the spotlight it deserves 
. Can't wait to see what other projects Tines and company cook up next! 
The way he brought out the raw energy of Gay Guerilla was totally captivating. And can we talk about how cool it is to see some classic pieces reimagined for modern instruments? 
. Anyway, kudos to Tines for being a worthy tribute artist – here's hoping more people discover Eastman's genius