Meredith monk has outlined the scenario in her program notes for the 1990 ecm recording of this music. Meredith monks book of days the voice is a language. In the 1980s, monk wrote and directed two films, ellis island 1981, and book of days 1988, which developed from a single idea. Drawing parallels between the black death and monks observation of the aids crisis in new york contemporary to the making of the film, book of days dramatises archetypes in search of and in support of humanity.
Check out book of days by meredith monk on amazon music. Digital recording, june 1989, clinton studios, new york. Three extracts from book of days, a 1988 film by composer, singer and choreographer meredith monk. A free screening of two meredith monk films, ellis island 1985 and book of days 1988.
I want to try and get into the habit of showing our actual items from the archive. The only ways to see this film, according to meredith monks website. Meredith monks tortoise dreams and folk music from another planet. Feb 24, 2011 book of days 1988 by meredith monk editor. Two treasures from the 1980s, meredith monks rarely seen films ellis island and book of days, are now available on dvd. Like most of meredith monks performance works, book of days weaves together characters, music, movement, time and space.
It was followed by an official soundtrack the following year. Meredith monks film book of days 1988 is a fulllength feature that follows the lives of medieval villagers beset by the plague. Thus do we get book of days 1988, a marriage of music and moving images that covers such broad yet related topics as nuclear holocaust, aids, eschatological wonder and trepidation, and the cyclical nature of time. Shown in the obie award winning piece of the same title by ping chong. Meredith monk has outlined the scenario in her program notes for the 1990 ecm recording of. From an early age she studied dance and music, and as a teenager began composing music. One day during summer of 1984, as i was sweeping the floor of my house in the country, the image of a young girl in black and white and a medieval street in the jewish community also in black and white came to. Nov 06, 2017 a free screening of two meredith monk films, ellis island 1985 and book of days 1988. It deals with a community of jews and christians in the middle ages in time. Time yugoslavian hala strana fielding last visible dog 2004. Meredith monk, american performance artist, a pioneer in the avantgarde, whose work skillfully integrated diverse performance disciplines and media. Big ears is elated to host a rare 35mm screening of meredith monks 1988 feature film book of days at the historic tennessee theatre. Meredith monk book of days legendary performing artist meredith monk recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of her professional career as a composer, vocalist, filmmaker, dancer, and choreographer.
Her films, installations and drawings have been shown in museums and galleries including exit art, frederieke taylor gallery, in two whitney. The film opens in color, with 20thcentury workmen blasting a brick wall, leaving a hole that opens into a blackandwhite small town in the middle ages. Book of days meredith monk, 1988 grandfather, i keep having a dream. Pursuing my new york theme, another great female composer on the splendid tshirt is meredith monk b.
Monk studied piano and eurythmics from an early age. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Directed by meredith monk, camera by meredith monk, edited by meredith monk and tony janetti. Aug, 2014 meredith monk is one of my favorite composers. Donald macleods everengaging coverage on bbc radio 3s composers of the week makes a useful introduction. In the 1980s, monk wrote and directed two films, ellis island 1981, and book of days 1988. Julius eastman toby newman age 11 and pablo vela in meredith monks film book of days, 1988. The following day meredith monks silent short films as well as the films 16 millimeter earrings 1966 1979 and ellis island 1981 which focuses on migration, will be presented, creating a link to contemporary sociopolitical questions.
Meredith monk is a multidisciplinary artista composer, singer, directorchoreographer, and creator of new opera, musictheater works. Composer, singer, filmmaker, and director, and choreographer meredith monk was born in lima, peru, and grew up in connecticut. Ellis island 1981, book of days 1988, and interview the house foundation for the arts, 2 hr. Monk tells this account in the liner notes of the ecmrecording. It deals with a community of jews and christians in the middle ages in time of plague, where the young daughter of a jewish family has visions of 20thcentury technology and society, drawing them on walls. Considered one of the most unique and influential artists of our time, meredith monk has been a pioneer of interdisciplinary work for over 50 years.
Meredith monk was born on november 20, 1942 in new york city, new york, usa. In this remarkably moving film, monk skillfully draws parallels between a time of plague and fear of apocalypse, and our time of aids and fear of nuclear annihilation. M eredith m v ocal e nsemble the library of congress. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Meredith monk american performance artist britannica. In fact book of days is for me a desert island disc as the saying goes. Jun 17, 2010 meredith monk book of days robert een voice, cello ching gonzalez voice andrea goodman voice wayne hankin voice, gro. In this remarkably moving film, monk skillfully draws parallels between a time of plague and fear of apocalypse, and. At big ears, the tennessee theatre will host a rare 35mm screening meredith monks 1988 experimental feature film book of days, which monk describes as a film for the ears.
It was a collection of smaller pieces, with monk and robert een singing. Like most of meredith monk s performance works, book of days weaves together characters, music, movement, time and space. At big ears, the tennessee theatre will host a rare 35mm screening meredith monks 1988 experimental feature film book of days, which monk describes as a. Book of days is a production of tatgelasseur productions, inc. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The idea for book of days came to monk one afternoon in the summer. Eastman and monk, who were colleagues in real life, are reunited in spirit in our season finale. The film is a rare gem and i urge anybody interested in monk to seek it out. Monk has also made several experimental films, and book of days is indeed one of them. Screenings will include 16 millimeter earrings 1966, book of days 1988, ellis island 1981, turtle dreams 1983, paris 1982, and several of monks short silent films 19661994. Overview of book of days, 1988, directed by meredith monk, with gerd wameling, toby newman, robert een, at turner classic movies. In addition to her two concerts of the souls messenger with her ensemble, we are elated to host a rare 35mm screening of her 1988 feature film book. It deals with a community of jews and christians in the middle ages in time of plague, where the young daughter of a jewish family has visions of 20thcentury technology and society, drawing them on. Book of days extract a movie from meredith monk, 1988 audio.
She interrogates the subjective over the empirical and its effect on the flow of intercontinental relations. She studied dance technique at sarah lawrence college. Como cineasta, ha ganado varios premios, incluyendo ellis island 1981 y su primer film book of days 1988. Meredith monk and vocal ensemble music from meredith monks film of the same title. The girls dreams and her grandfather the book of days by meredith monk duration. Meredith monk ellis island, book of days entertainment. Performance artist monk compares life in a modern city with life in the th century, seen in black and white. A 1910 home movie of humboldt and his wife on the beach in asbury park. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
Thus do we get book of days 1988, a marriage of music and moving images that covers such broad yet related topics as nuclear holocaust. An absorbing portrait of the american avantgarde performer, composer, choreographer, filmmaker, singer, and dancer. Meredith monk and vocal ensemble music from meredith monk s film of the same title. Meredith monk is a multidisciplinary artista composer, singer, directorchoreographer, and creator of new opera, musictheater works, films, and installations. The first time i encountered the music of meredith monk was in her fascinating, indeed haunting film book of days from 1988 that was shown on pbs. The festival will open with a screening of monks feature film book of days 1988. In the 1980s she wrote and directed two films, ellis island 1981, and book of days 1988, which developed from a single idea. One day during summer of 1984, as i was sweeping the floor of my house in the country, the image of a young girl in black and white and a medieval street in the jewish community also in black and white came to me. As a filmmaker, monk has created several awardwinning films including ellis island 1981 and her first feature, book of days 1988, which have screened at numerous film festivals worldwide and on pbs. Book of days, which opened at the new york film festival, and was later adapted for television.