How to use this page
On the main page you will see drawings of our ‘songs’. These are a form of score and if you hover over them you will get some textual information that gives a little more detail. If you click on a ‘song’ you will see a video of one example of the song being played. Some of the songs are played only by Paul Norman and Leander Ripchinsky (who created the work) others are played together with the audience who happened to be in attendance on one of the filming days and others are played by the audience alone.
You may watch the songs in any order, fast forward, rewind, stop and pause as much as you like, you may even watch multiple songs at the same time, much like being there live with us. The choice is yours.
Should I really watch all these videos?
Part of the experience of this work, both live and as presented here, is not seeing everything.
The average audience member in a live performance would see between 1-4 songs. This does not represent a partial experience, seing everything would offer a different but not necessarily enriched event. The necessity to choose and to ultimately 'miss out' is very much intentional and supportive of the atmophere we want the work to create. It should go without saying that every audience member has the potential to derive a different experience from any work of art. In this work we acknowledge and promote this through its dramaturgy and its specific engagement with choice. In essence, the 'full' experience of the work is made not by seeing everything, but by seeing what you have chosen.
If you want to see an overview of the kinds of songs you may expect to see you can click on the banner image at the very top of the main page to see a short teaser trailer.
(All videos shot by Janna Athena Pinkster at the Unfuck My Future festival at Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Frankfurt am Main between the 28th August and 8th September 2019)
How it works live
Trenungssongs of Togetherness (roughly translating to separation songs of togetherness) is hard to define with conventional singular terms for example ‘performance’ or ‘installation’, as the piece and its live format are rather interdisciplinary at heart. It is thus perhaps easier to move away from defining and towards describing what you might expect if you join us for the evening.
"On arriving at a time not truly fixed other than by opening and closing times, the audience are welcomed by Paul Norman and Leander Ripchinsky who both facilitate and perform ‘songs’ throughout. You are presented with drawings of ‘songs’ and invited to choose one that you would like to see and hear. Some of the songs are played by Leander and Paul alone, others together with audience members and others soley by the audience"
It is a safe and familial space, there is no need for any musical or theatrical experience. ‘Songs’ can be enjoyed by children, adults and the elderly alike.
**Click the picture above to return to the main page**