Music Stands Outside was conceptualized for the Haus Wittmann. It contains traces of a musical performance by Cathy van Eck, a composition for guitar by Toon Callier, an interview with the residents and ends with the piece Breathing Room by Hildegard Westerkamp.
English translation of the interview with Achim Seeger and Lucas Firmbach (heard in German during the concert):
This used to be a stonemason workshop. I think Téa’s grandfather’s — more or less 80 years ago. Then it was passed on to her father, who also worked here. There is a cemetery next to the house. That’s why the stone- mason workshop is here. That’s also the reason why so much that is inside the house is made of stone, for example, the pantry. Her father built this all by himself. Téa Wittman is her name, and there is also Wittmannstreet here in Darmstadt. I don’t know if it that’s her grandfather — I think perhaps it comes from earlier. She told us that it is her family, but I don’t know if that is true. I think they fell in love with the stonemason workshop and decided to reconstruct it into a family house. Then they lived here as a family, the parents with their two daughters. But not since at least five years — or perhaps even longer.
And then Téa came back. She was in the US. Téa’s mother is originally from Cuba. Her father met her mother on Saint Croix, the most southern island of the States, in the Caribbean. Téa lived there for some time. After they met, her parents came to Germany — to this house. The sculptures in the garden depict palm trees, stones and a small beach. This should all re-enact this island. Her father rebuilt it here for her mother.
Inside is the same, these are all heaps of bulky waste. All that is still from the move. Yes, same here. That will all be gone.
That is also from some former flatmates.
Téa lived here the longest amount oftime. She is going to move out now.
This was for the kids, a playhouse. Upstairs there are still a small table and chairs. Now it’s for the chickens. Fifteen or twenty years ago all this was here, and now the moment has come to sort everything.
