Gavin Bryars interviewed by Paul Morley: ‘The Sinking of the Titanic’

Extract from a discussion at the Royal Academy of Music, London in February 2016. Composer Gavin Bryars talks with writer and broadcaster Paul Morley about the enduring fascination with the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic. ‘The Sinking of the Titanic’ could be considered as the musical equivalent of a piece of conceptual art: about an idea, not necessarily a sound, style or genre. The ship sank at 2.20am, while the band played on – the wireless operator reports that they played a hymn until the very end. Gavin Bryars talks about the research he undertook before writing his iconic work.