Output details
35 - Music, Drama, Dance and Performing Arts
Brunel University London
Hanging in the balance
Concert work for two pianos, resonating objects and electronics
‘Hanging in the Balance’ is a work for two pianos and resonating objects. The objects – suspended cymbal, snare drum, tom-tom, wood drum – are placed close to the pianos and induced to resonate sympathetically. Close miking and computer sound-processing reveals otherwise inaudible sounds, their inner energies and complexities. Workshops with pianists Kate Halsall and Mary Dullea and sound-artist James Waterworth explored a new and unfamiliar environment, developing a new virtuosity in responding to often very sensitive sounds.
The research process addressed a series of technical and compositional issues:
a) Inducing the objects to resonate
Each object reacts differently, requiring careful positioning in relation to the pianos and to other objects. Transducers were used to produce a focused sound source for the resonance.
b) Amplifying and processing the resonance
Complex routing in and out of the computer was needed to balance the volumes of the pianos, the resonating objects and the electronically manipulated sound. Ableton Live was used as a working environment and the patch developed will serve as a template for further research with other instruments and other objects.
c) Integrating these sounds with music for the pianists
The sounds from the objects and their electronic treatments provided accompaniment textures and environments; similarly the composed piano material could be a background to the resonances. Feedback was also discovered to be a sub-category rich in timbral possibilities.
The research has opened up further possibilities and there has been consultation with sound psychologist Dr David McAlpine, designer Marco Ajovalasit and sound sculptor Liam Curtin, about the manufacture of objects specifically designed as resonators for this kind of compositional environment.
‘Hanging in the Balance’ was shown as work-in-progress at Dartington Hall, Devon on 07/04/13 and premiered at Kings Place, London on 1/12/13. A CD recording will be released by Metier in 2014.
