Music Library staff Henry Lim and string quartet adapt Radiohead album favorites to classical music as part of Powell Music in the Rotunda series
Music Library staff member Henry Lim (center) and his string quartet will be performing music by the band Radiohead in Powell Rotunda Saturday at 8 p.m. using violas, violins, cellos and acoustic guitars.
Courtesy of Henry Lim
Henry Lim and his string quartet perform Radiohead
Saturday, 8 p.m.
Powell Library Rotunda, FREE
By Shannon Cosgrove
April 8, 2011 1:40 a.m.
Correction: The original version of this article contained an error. Leila Nassar-Fredell plays violin in the quartet.
Radiohead is known for bridging the gap between rock and classical music styles. This weekend, a string quartet led by Music Library staffer Henry Lim will tip the scales toward the classical end of the spectrum.
Lim will play bamboo guitar and sing, joined by a quartet composed of four graduate students: Rachel Sexton on cello, Leila Nassar-Fredell on violin, Ji Young An on violin and Alison Spieth on viola. On Saturday at 8 p.m., the musicians will reinterpret Radiohead’s songs in the Powell Library rotunda.
Lim has performed in concerts at Powell before, covering Bob Dylan and The Beatles over the past two years. He said he chose Radiohead this time for its musical sensitivity and maturity.
“I like melodic, dynamic music that has a bit more imagination than the same three chords,” Lim said.
While many fans may be skeptical of Radiohead songs being rendered into a classical quartet structure, Lim said he intends to respect its music and pay tribute to the band ““ just in a more acoustic fashion.
“Radiohead acts as a sort of bridge between classical and pop music ““ the music is classically structured and composed,” Lim said.
Lim said he stays true to the original arrangements of the songs, keeping the notes the same but moving pitches to suit the differing ranges of the instruments.
He also worked with members of the quartet to add effects, such as scraping strings and drumming on instruments, to take the acoustic instruments beyond their conventional roles, imitating more electrified and percussive sounds.
“It’s energetic and fun ““ these techniques are used in modern classical music, but there is no real groove to it,” Lim said. “In this, there is.”
The group will play one song from each Radiohead album, including “Paranoid Android,” “Fake Plastic Trees,” “House of Cards” and “4 Minute Warning.” Lim said he chose songs he liked and were adaptable to quartet. Radiohead’s wide catalogue allows for a range of musical structures.
“I’ve noticed more maturity in the way they handle their dynamics, choruses and structures in their newer material,” Lim said. “”˜Creep’ only has four chords, and “˜Just’ has exponentially more ““ it is just more advanced.”
While some of the graduate students were already aware of Radiohead’s music, others became fans after learning the songs Lim burned for them onto CDs. Lim said it is fun for everyone to play something other than Beethoven or Brahms for a change.
“When we perform classical music, we usually focus on intonation and vibrato ““ this music is more about feeling,” said Ji Young An, a music graduate student and the violinist in the quartet. “It’s fun to play with friends.”
An said her favorite Radiohead song is “Creep,” the band’s first single, for its internally reflective lyrics. Working on this performance deepened her appreciation for the band’s musical complexity.
“When I listened to them before, I paid attention mainly to the voice and to the mood ““ taking it apart, I recognize the bass now and the complexities of their music,” An said.
She said she hopes others will share this appreciation of the music and be open to the new avenues down which the group will take it.
“It’s important to open people’s minds to show them that music can be arranged in a totally different way than it was originally and still sound good,” An said.
Lim said the acoustic environment the library provides is just the place to unleash the full range of colors of the violins and other instruments.
Catherine Brown, coordinator of the Powell Music in the Rotunda series, said the concerts in Powell are traditionally a venue for the students and faculty in the School of Music to perform.
“In a sense, it’s an extension of the music program’s curriculum,” Brown said.
Lim said he hopes to continue to do these shows and is contemplating what he will do next ““ another favorite band of his is the Pixies, and if he can find a singer, he’ll even consider covering some Katy Perry.
