The Ursonate
A sonata in primordial sounds by Kurt Schwitters

Dadaist and creator of total works of art Kurt Schwitters wrote and composed his Ursonate between 1923 and 1932. He himself performed and recorded his work on 5 May 1923 at Reichsrundfunkgesellschaft in Stuttgart. The score was published, designed by the well-known typographer Jan Tschichold for volume 24 of Schwitters’ magazine MERZ.

The Ursonate takes up the tradition of sound poetry that was born 100 years ago at Zurich’s Cabaret Volltaire around the Dadaists Richard Huelsenbeck, Hugo Ball, and Tristan Tzara. To mark the 100th anniversary of Dada’s founding, Thomas Krüger, composer and musician Anje Lucks, and the jazz quartet Potsa Lotsa present their new interpretation of Kurt Schwitters’ Ursonate.

The evening continues with two short films by Jörg Herold and a panel discussion on the Dada reception in the late GDR with panelists Jörg Herold, Thomas Krüger, Götz Lehmann, and Claus Löser.

Short films:
Jörg Herold, Beiwerk, 1985, Super 8, s/w, 8:40 min
Jörg Herold, Baader in Leipzig, 1989, Super 8, s/w, 4 min

Held as part of the Berlin Art Week.