Classical Music News

Deutsche Grammophon Launches New Electronic Music Series

September 8, 2021

2 MIN READ

Entitled "Fragments," the new series will reimagine works by a classical composer through the lens of electronic music

"Fragments" will spotlight the music of a single composer, releasing twelve reworks as e-singles, eventually culminating in a full album release.

"At the heart of the series is a dynamic dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation, creation and re-creation," the Deutsche Grammophon (DG) press release reads.

The first composer to be featured is French pianist and "forefather of modern minimalism," Erik Satie.

The Satie series will start with a rework by Berlin-based duo TWO LANES, known for its acoustic and electronic elements. Based on the same work from the composer’s Pièces froides (“Cold Pieces”), their “Danses de travers No. 2” was launched on August 27.

The first volume in the series, scheduled for release in May 2022, will reflect the breadth of Satie’s avant-garde works.

“When we set out to find artists to work on Satie’s music, the idea was met with unanimous enthusiasm,” says Marc Fritsch, Director Special Projects at Deutsche Grammophon. “This has led to an original and eclectic collection of remixes and reworks. Fragments moves between different creative worlds – classical and electronic, online and offline, old and new. It brings together different artforms and gives musicians the opportunity to engage with timeless traditions of making music in ways that are sure to be surprising, stimulating and satisfying, just as Satie’s compositions were when they were new.”

“By blending these recordings with electronic beat elements and analogue synthesizers we were able to transform Satie’s music into the realm of our own musical language," TWO LANES commented. "His music has always been a great source of inspiration for us. Its minimalism and simplicity are qualities that can also be found in today’s electronic music."

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