Uncovering the Roots of Musica Elettronica
Viva Early Concerts, Improvisation, and the Influence of the Living Theatre (1966–1968)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21728403 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Christophe Levaux (0000-0002-3396-9315, Université Libre de Bruxelles, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 1-20 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | twentieth-century music (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1478-5722 • E-ISSN: 1478-5730 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s147857222510008x |
| OpenAlex | W4415102569 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 11 |
Musica Elettronica Viva (MEV) enjoys cult status in the history of avant-garde music in the second half of the twentieth century. Founded in Rome at the turn of 1966 and 1967 on the initiative of the American composer and pianist Frederic Rzewski, MEV, together with the Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza (GINC), introduced free improvisation to the European continent. However, many aspects of the group’s early years remain obscure, particularly with regard to their first performances and their transition to improvisation. Drawing on previously unpublished archives, in particular those of Frederic Rzewski preserved in Brussels, this article clarifies these aspects by establishing a precise chronology from 1966 to 1968. Far from following the aesthetics of GINC, MEV seems to have been more influenced by the Living Theatre, whose Artaudian and political approach encouraged its shift towards musical spontaneity and audience participation. This study thus offers a new perspective on the origins of MEV and its place within the Italo-American avant-garde of the period
Cult · Improvisation · Musical · Politics · Music Technology and Sound Studies · Musicology and Musical Analysis
| Highly cited | No |
|---|