Apartment House NNF 2024

When I saw that Apartment House was proposing to perform Nico et John Cale’s avant-garde 1968 album The Marble Index, I thought it was 1) very brave of them 2) very intriguing (how would they recreate the sonic chaos of the LP? How could anyone sing Nico’s songs?) and 3) exactly why I love the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and its very eclectic but impeccable programming. It is thus with enthusiasm but also slight concern that I entered the magnificently atmospheric Octagon Chapel. But before I could get any answers, the Apartment House ensemble (founder Anton Lukoszevieze on cello, Gordon MacKay and Chihiro Ono on violins, Bridget Carey on viola and Kerry Yong on keyboards), first introduced us to Arthur Russell and his work, Tower of Meaning, which, we were told, was originally intended for theatre director Robert Wilson's staging of Euripides' Medea. Due to a fallout between the two men, it was never used on stage but was released as Russell’s first LP in 1983. I thought it was a very evocative and scenic piece and if the lack of climax or even consistent meter was challenging at first, it did slowly create a soothing, enveloping effect which had my mind wander through imaginary landscapes. I read later that Russell once explained about one of his compositions that “the thing that excited [him] about the piece was that you could pick up the needle anywhere and put it down and it always sounds the same. Not exactly the same, but you could plug into it for as long as you liked, then plug out and then plug back in again without losing anything essential unlike narrative music where your attention is required from beginning to end”. And it’s quite exactly how I felt with interpretation of Tower of Meaning.

The ensemble then treated us to a rendition of 12 Dollars is a lot by Jim O’Rourke, a musician perhaps better known for his involvement in Sonic Youth. The minimalist yet uplifting piece, which was specially written for the ensemble, started with short bursts of staccato notes before gaining momentum and harmony and developing into a very pleasant work. I particularly liked the elegant use of electronic sound effects which complemented the strings perfectly and enjoyed how the use of short notes and pauses echoed traditional Japanese music without mimicking it .

Then it was time for the piece de resistance with The Marble Index by Nico and John Cale, newly transcribed for the ensemble by Kerry Yong and featuring Francesca Fargion as vocalist. The musicians’ performance was very respectful of the original album and largely managed to recreate its dark, chilling, chaotic quality while being able to add subtle touches of their personality. This was very impressive. As expected, Nico’s loud, defiant, flat, mesmeric Germanic voice is quite irreplaceable. It was a relief that Francesca Fargion did not try to imitate the late singer and her performance was highly commendable – she is a very talented classically trained singer and I honestly don’t see how she could have done better but Nico’s unique voice is what make these songs. With Fargion’s impeccably melodic voice, The Marble Index leant more towards Irish traditional folk music/sea shanties than Goth rock. And when Nico dominated the sonic chaos of the album, Fargion seemed carried away by a raging sea. And yet, despite its flaws, it was a fantastic homage to Nico’s brilliance and John Cale’s genius.