Alexander Frangenheim | Germany
double bass
Born
in Wuppertal, he studied sculpture at the academy of fine arts in Stuttgart
and at the same time classical doublebass with Reinald Schwarz, soloist
of Stuttgart Philharmonics. Having encountered experimental music in his
youth, beside classical playing he soon ventured into free improvisation
as well as working with graphic notations in the ensemble of composer
Klaus Fessmann, who holds a professorship at Salzburg Mozarteum. After
having met Günter Christmann in the early 90s, who became a close
friend over the years, a grant offered the possibility to go to London,
where he finally was able to explode into a most intense period of sessions,
collaborations, concerts and recording sessions, this all with help by
John Russell, Chris Burn and John Butcher. Back in Stuttgart he was asked
to teach experimental music at the academy of fine arts Stuttgart, which
he did for a period of ten years and which led him to extended sound and
performance explorations in collaboration with his students. He continued
to organize the festival concepts of doing – Interaktion Tanz Musik
(1992 – 2003) and, after an intense trip through many european countries
meeting dancers for free improvisations and an invitation to the 5th Composers
Choreographers Exchange (Southbank Center London), he was co-founding
the production center for dance and performance Stuttgart. Being the head
of this association for three years and after the festival of concepts
of doing 2003, he pushed these structures aside for regaining breath and
new freedom and inner engagement in life and arts. At the same time this
moment was accompanied by his last days in ensemble zeitkratzer, which
he was member of since its beginning in 1997 (performances of famous MMM
by and with Lou Reed as well as music by alva noto, Merzbow, Lee Ronaldo,
Elliott Sharp, DJ’s a.o.).
2005 saw him establishing himself in a space in Berlin to seek new projects.
Since then he has recorded three cds, created the music for the experimental
film „Lupinen löschen“ by Sabine Schöbel, which
was shown at the Berlinale 2007, and started to work with analog electronics
on the acoustic double bass as well as on an electric one, introducing
this to his collaborations with dance.
He played in groups... trio with Jim Denley and Steve Noble; duo with
Phil Durrant (cd); quintet with Evan Parker, Phil Wachsman, Thomas Lehn,
Roger Turner; duo with Günter Christmann (cd); „Ein Quartett“
with Bieler-Wendt, Kolkowski, Zimmerlin; trio with Chris Burn and Axel
Dörner.
Projects with Günter Christmann: Sextett Vario 34 (cd) und „con
moto“ (music, dance, sound poetry, film) with David Zambrano, Urs
Leimgruber, Fine Kwiatkofski, Elke Schipper (dvd).
Concerts with... Paul Lovens, John Butcher, Phil Minton, Derek Bailey,
Sven-Ake Johannson, David Moss, John Russell, Johannes Bauer, LeQuan Ninh,
Dietmar Diesner, LaDonna Smith, Malcolm Goldstein, Fred Frith, Vinko Globokar,
Barry Guy, Torsten Müller, Carlos Zingaro, Fred van Hove, Urs Leimgruber,
Mats Gustafsson, Dorothea Schürch, Herb Robertson, Alberto Braida,
Michael Griener, Yumiko Tanaka a.o.
Intense work with dancers in diverse performing and rehearsing situations.
Collaborations with Julyen Hamilton, Vera Mantero, Benoit Lachambre, Ingo
Reulecke, Josè Luis Sultàn, Mark Tompkins, Junko Wada, Fine
Kwiatkofski, Regina Baumgart, David Zambrano, Sasha Waltz, Katie Duck,
Joachim Schlömer, Thomas McManus, Nigel Charnock, Xavier Le Roy,
Frans Poelstra, Virpi Pakhinen, Russell Maliphant, Anzu Furukawa, Pal
Frenak, Anna Huber, Andreas Müller, Astrid Endruweit, Jennifer Lacey,
Lin Yuang Shang.
concepts of doing. Between 1992 and 2003 he organized the festival „concepts
of doing – Interaktion Tanz Musik“ which became an important
european plattform for the exchange of the arts inviting many notable
artists for free collaborations during 4 days. (Please see: www.concepts-of-doing.de).
cd: „screen. Festival concepts of doing 1999“ mit Yoshihide,
Turner, Leimgruber, Schürch, Parkins, Newton, Frangenheim.
Critics: „mikrotonale Edelsteine“ (Markus Müller, Jazzthetik),
„deliciously subversive“ (Cadence), „music straight
from the dynamo“ (The Wire), „Frangenheim uses extended string
techniques Gidon Cremer supplied for Luigi Nono“ (The Wire).
Lives in Berlin since 2005. In preparation for creative space for 2009,
which will allow him to continue his work with dance and other media.
Projects: trio with Chris Burn and Axel Dörner; quartet with Thomas
Lehn, Le Quan Ninh, Frederic Blondy; duo with Günter Christmann /as
well as other formations; trio with Floros Floridis and Ray Kaczynski;
cds in prep: quartet with Moss/Bauer/Tanaka, quartet with Turner/Wachsman/Pat
Thomas. performance project „streugut“ together with Clausen,
Reulecke, Rudstrom, Simon.
frangenheim@gmx.net
Börnestr 43/45 13086 Berlin
mobil: 0176 23608833
tel: +49 30 92379159