The Argonaut

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen to recording

“The Argonaut”  by Henrik Hellstenius  performed by Irvine Arditti at June in Buffalo Festival 2017

The Argonaut  is a solo violin piece, composed from the material of a larger instrumental theatre piece called «Victoria Counting» for staged violinist. The title refers to the seamen following Ulysses on his many voyages, here in the writing of the German author Heiner Müller.

THE ARGONAUT

I my sea-journey

I my land-claim My

Walk through the suburbs I My death

In the rain of bird-muck In the chalky hide

The anchor is the last umbilical cord

The memory of the coast passes away with the horizon

Birds are a farewell Are a homecoming

The slaughtered tree plows the snake the sea

Thin between I and NolongerI the ship’s wall

THE SEA IS THE SAILOR’S BRIDE

(from Heiner Müllers: Landscape with Argonauts)

http://artvoice.com/2017/06/01/norway-invades-june-buffalo-festival/#.WTF1RBOLSEI