The tide-tossed reveries of Percy Grainger’s obsessive, unconventional mind are made manifest in this multi-screen installation work.

Two Channel Video Installation

Ian Potter Museum

Commissioner:
Melbourne International Arts Festival

Duration:
50 mins

SYPNOPSIS

From the childhood moment in which he observed waves lapping against a boat’s side, pure and gliding tones exerted a pull on Grainger’s psyche. His obsession was such that for the rest of his life he would rail against the “tyrannical rhythmic pulse” and “moral harmony” of Western music.

BREAKING WAVES incorporates archival instruments, score fragments and the recent re-making of three of the composer’s original instruments to form an enveloping portrait of Grainger’s lifelong crusade to free music of conventional constraints. An immersive psychological portrait employing high-speed, close up cinematography, it is an impressionistic gateway into the motivations that drove a truly singular artist.