This music refuses to let reality decide – or does it shape its own reality?                                
Thomas Millroth from the Linernotes

 
What river is this was originally commissioned by Huddersfield Contemporary Musicfestival and Wundergrund Festival, Copenhagen in 2010. Premiered by the What River Ensemble formed especially for this occasion.


What river is this is dealing with- and inspired by- different states of dreaming/awakeness; the merging in and out of different dreamlike landscapes and realities as well as the overall question of reality itself.

The title: What river is this is referring to a line in the poem Heraclitus by Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges. The piece also uses text by Danish poet Ursula Andkjær Olsen.

The music consists of throughcomposed material as well as structured improvisation. As in much of the music of L. Anker the overall expressions and dynamics are generated by clashes and contrasts: from minimal, transparency to dense and dark textures. Small melodic fragments being set up against more abstract  -sometimes wild and chaotic- material.

Lotte Anker: Danish saxophoneplayer and composer and among the leading voices on the Scandinavian/European improv & experimental scene. Initiator of a number of highly acclaimed groups and collaborations. In recent years: Anker, Taborn, Cleaver (w/ Craig Taborn & Gerald Cleaver), Lotte Anker & Fred Frith, Trio with Sylvie Courvoisier and Ikue Mori and quartet with Johannes Bauer, Clayton Thomas and Paul Lovens.


What River Ensemble consists of 8 musicians which, besides L. Anker includes cutting-edge and legendary improvisers Fred Frith, Ikue Mori, Phil Minton and Chris Cutler as well as contemporary music masters Garth Knox, Anna Klett and Jesper Egelund. This line-up reflects another vision of L. Anker for the project: to find ways of connecting the aesthetics of different musical worlds, to explore the many colours and possibilities that comes with an ensemble like WRE and to give each individual voice space and improvisational freedom within the written context.


Line Up

Lotte Anker - Saxophones
Phil Minton - Vocals
Anna Klett - Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
Garth Knox - Viola
Jesper Egelund - Bass
Fred Frith - Guitar
Ikue Mori - Electronics
Chris Cutler - Drums, percussion