DER GOLEM w/ Live Music by Paul de Jong & Matthew Gold

Widely recognized as the source of the Frankenstein myth,The Golem: How He Came into the World (1920, 86 minutes) tells the Jewish legend of a folkloric figure made of clay who comes to life to prevent the Jews’ expulsion from the city. An astonishing new soundtrack is provided by percussionist Matthew Gold (Talea Ensemble) and cellist Paul de Jong (The Books). Ever the collector, de Jong will bring a selection of some rarer specimens from his array of cello-like instruments—an arpeggione, a church bass, paired with pre-recorded materials from his extensive sound archive and Matthew Gold's makeshift drum set made of spare parts, metal bowls, tuned wrenches, bells, and other found sounds played with beaters, bows, stones, and marbles.  

Dutch-American cellist and composer Paul de Jong is probably most widely known as co-founder of beloved collage-pop eccentrics, the Books (1999-2011). After the band’s breakup, de Jong embarked on a wild ride of musical, literary and visual discovery which to date has resulted in two albums of new music on Temporary Residence Ltd., a self-released solo cello album SPIRAL (2020), worldwide solo performances, lectures, impromptu appearances, film scores, video installations, screen prints, collaborations with colleagues young and elderly, and the unlocking of his vast North Adams-based archive of fringe recorded and printed media aka the ‘Mall of Found’ to a succession of resident artists and researchers.  

Matthew Gold is a percussionist, ensemble director, and educator committed to presenting innovative and adventurous programs featuring new voices. As the Talea Ensemble's percussionist and former Managing Director, and as a member of the New York-based percussion group Talujon, he performs across the U.S. and internationally. Mr. Gold is an Artist in Residence in Percussion and Contemporary Music Performance at Williams College where he directs the Williams Percussion Ensemble and New Music Williams, and is the Artistic Director of the annual I/O Festival of New Music. Mr. Gold has recently taken on a new position as the Director of Community Initiatives and the PATHWAYS Public Arts Program at PS21 (Performance Spaces for the 21st Century) in Chatham, NY.