Quantcast

Nasher Sculpture Center presents Soundings: Beowulf

eventdetail
Photo courtesy of Nasher Sculpture Center

Vocalist, harper, and scholar Benjamin Bagby brings the chilling, magical power wielded by the untitled Anglo-Saxon epic poem known as Beowulf in a performance that has been called a “double tour de force of scholarly excavation and artistic dynamism” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The story has its roots in the art of the scop (“creator”), the bardic story-teller of early medieval England who would retell the story of Beowulf in song and speech, accompanying himself on a six-string harp for an audience that would be captivated by the finest details of sound and meaning.

Bagby’s impetus to re-vocalize this medieval text as living art has come from many directions: from the power of those bardic traditions, mostly non-European, which still survive intact; from the work of instrument-makers who have made thoughtful renderings of seventh-century Germanic harps; and from those scholars who have shown an active interest in the problems of turning written words back into an oral poetry meant to be absorbed through the ear/spirit, rather than eye/brain. But the principal impetus comes from the language of the poem itself, which has a chilling, magical power that no modern translation can approximate.

Vocalist, harper, and scholar Benjamin Bagby brings the chilling, magical power wielded by the untitled Anglo-Saxon epic poem known as Beowulf in a performance that has been called a “double tour de force of scholarly excavation and artistic dynamism” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The story has its roots in the art of the scop (“creator”), the bardic story-teller of early medieval England who would retell the story of Beowulf in song and speech, accompanying himself on a six-string harp for an audience that would be captivated by the finest details of sound and meaning.

Bagby’s impetus to re-vocalize this medieval text as living art has come from many directions: from the power of those bardic traditions, mostly non-European, which still survive intact; from the work of instrument-makers who have made thoughtful renderings of seventh-century Germanic harps; and from those scholars who have shown an active interest in the problems of turning written words back into an oral poetry meant to be absorbed through the ear/spirit, rather than eye/brain. But the principal impetus comes from the language of the poem itself, which has a chilling, magical power that no modern translation can approximate.

Vocalist, harper, and scholar Benjamin Bagby brings the chilling, magical power wielded by the untitled Anglo-Saxon epic poem known as Beowulf in a performance that has been called a “double tour de force of scholarly excavation and artistic dynamism” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The story has its roots in the art of the scop (“creator”), the bardic story-teller of early medieval England who would retell the story of Beowulf in song and speech, accompanying himself on a six-string harp for an audience that would be captivated by the finest details of sound and meaning.

Bagby’s impetus to re-vocalize this medieval text as living art has come from many directions: from the power of those bardic traditions, mostly non-European, which still survive intact; from the work of instrument-makers who have made thoughtful renderings of seventh-century Germanic harps; and from those scholars who have shown an active interest in the problems of turning written words back into an oral poetry meant to be absorbed through the ear/spirit, rather than eye/brain. But the principal impetus comes from the language of the poem itself, which has a chilling, magical power that no modern translation can approximate.

WHEN

WHERE

Nasher Sculpture Center
2001 Flora St.
Dallas, TX 75201
http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/engage/programs/program?id=37

TICKET INFO

All events are subject to change due to weather or other concerns. Please check with the venue or organization to ensure an event is taking place as scheduled.
CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
Get Dallas intel delivered daily.