Susan Philipsz Opens to Four Star Reviews

The Guardian’s Adrian Searle saw Susan Philipsz War Damaged Musical Instruments, commissioned by 14-18 NOW and curated by Tate Britain, last week and here’s what he said:

‘For all its mournful aspects, the music is as uplifting as it is painful; close then distant, clear then broken, a cry then a whisper. The sound is wonderful. The shrapnel damage and bullet-holes, mutilated bells and mangled tubing add their own flavour. The players have to work around the instruments’ injuries. Often they have to substitute one note for another. Some instruments are irrevocably out of tune. Brass and woodwind, trumpets and saxes are the most bodily of instruments; what we hear are damaged, tremulous bodies, gasps and tremors.’

Susan Philipsz: War Damaged Musical Instruments is at Tate Britain, London, 21 November to 3 April.