As previously mentioned, Dirk Serries’ TONUS ensemble performed one of his graphic scores at the 2019′ Spontaneous Music Festival in Poznan (Poland). This live concert was professionally recorded and released on cd by the festival. Available here.

This is what VITAL WEEKLY (The Netherlands) wrote about it :
“On October 5th, 2019 Dirk Serries performed with his Tonus-project in
Poland at the Spontaneous Music Festival. This time Tonus had the following line up: Pawel Doskocz (acoustic guitar), Andrew Lisle (percussion), Ostap Mańko (violin), Witold Oleszak (piano), Dirk Serries (acoustic guitar), Anna Szmatola (cello), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Colin Webster (alto sax). So on the one hand English musicians Serries already used to play with, joined by three Polish musicians who are new in this Tonus-constellation. Tonus is a project started in 2017 by Dirk Serries. From what I understand ‘Tonus’ refers as well to a graphic score by Serries, as to an open ensemble-format performing in different line ups. The title ‘Intermediate Obscurities III’ suggests the existence of other versions of this collective improvisation. And yes there is an album titled ‘Intermediate Obscurities I +IV’, released on his own A New Wave of Jazz-label. This album has two different versions performed by two different Tonus-line ups. I suppose these improvisations start from an identical idea what makes them a series. As I don’t know this album I can’t judge about any (dis)continuity being the case here. So let us turn to ‘Intermediate Obscurities III’. This is one long extended improvisation departing from a very reduced approach. I’m not sure if it is appropriate to say, but Serries we know all from his ambient-background, and now moves again toward ambient territories albeit in the context of free improvised music. That’s interesting. Does it give a new perspective for improvised music, for ambient music or both? Whatever with ‘Intermediate Obscurities III’ we witness an interaction that consequently works from a very minimalistic approach from start to finish. The music moves on slowly and quietly. Pointillistic and static, it is constantly very close to silence. And that is where they prefer to stay throughout this extended meditation. Expect no eruptions or strongly contrasting movements. That’s not where this music is about. Everything ‘happens’ on a microlevel. And it is fascinating how they really maximize what is in it, staying within this frame.“