Quadopus Chamber Quartet
The Philicorda Chamber Quartet is a project by Antoon Versteegde and Bart van Dongen. Bart is a "all-in-one organist" who simultaneously plays four standalone Philips Philicorda organs from the sixties.
In doing so, he personally performs a complete chamber music quartet. He composed the work "Quadopus", in which the unique technical and physical characteristics of this iconic instrument take center stage, with room for improvisation.
Each organ is equipped with its own amplifier and two speakers, creating a quadraphonic spatial soundfield that continuously shifts in character. By using the mutual interaction between the four instruments as a starting point, a dynamic and layered soundscape unfolds.
The setup — based on a concept by Versteegde — places the four organs in a square configuration, with the organist in the center and the audience surrounding them. Because the balance between the instruments varies from seat to seat, every listener experiences a unique, ever-changing timbre and spatial immersion.
