Hymn to the Manhattan Bridge, by Nick Franglen
all 24 hours of June 21st
The Archway, under the Manhattan Bridge
DUMBO, Brooklyn

On June 21st, British artist and electronic musician Nick Franglen (of Lemon Jelly) will play a 24-hour piece of improvised music, starting and ending at midnight, in collaboration with the thousands of people who walk or bicycle across Manhattan Bridge during the course of the day.

Franglen will be installed in The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge, playing a Theremin with looping effects pedals to create washes of sound. Meanwhile, sensors installed on Manhattan Bridge's pathways, high above The Archway, will register the passing of each bicycle and pedestrian, sending messages to Nick's equipment that imprint a moment of silence on the music for everyone who crosses the bridge. The music will be a unique collaboration between the musician and the bridge users, who will unwittingly guide and develop the character of the piece.

Connect to live streaming audio (and occasional video) from the bridge:

In September 2010, Franglen performed Hymn To London Bridge, a highly regarded first version of the piece, excerpted here:

Nick Franglen is a British artist, musician and record producer. He is a founding member of noted electronica duo Lemon Jelly, whose three albums on XL Recordings have sold half a million records. He is also a founding member of Blacksand, famed for their innovative improvised performances in unusual spaces, including down a mine and in a Cold War submarine. Franglen has produced albums by Badly Drawn Boy and John Cale, worked with Bjork, Pulp, Hole, and Primal Scream, and has even released tracks with William Shatner. In addition, Franglen composes for film and TV, and served as musical director for "Nico - Life Along The Borderline," the Nico tribute show performed throughout Europe.

Presented in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation and the Dumbo Improvement District.