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Musique Insolites

For this improvisation recorded at Atelier Klaus, Brussels (23rd October 2011) Eastley used his Arc – an electro-acoustic monochord of his own invention. The instrument was developed from one of his Aeolian sculptures commissioned by the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (1997). The sculptures, which were attached to trees, consisted of a single string producing aeolian tones from the action of the wind.

The instrument is played whilst sitting and the body of the instrument is rested on the left shoulder with the other end resting on the floor in a similar way to a ‘cello. The instrument has two techniques for changing pitch, one is the stopping of the string as with a guitar or violin by using the fingers of the left hand or using glass rods as used with a slide guitar. The other method is to flex the body of the instrument and lower the pitch using a pedal played with the left foot. The instrument uses a magnetic pick up similar to the electric guitar.

This particular improvisation is notable for the extended techniques employed for the first time on the instrument. Each performance with the Arc extends the capabilities of the instrument as it is considered as a sound-making device that – during performance – is a site for extensive timbral experiment. The range of practices employed here includes responses to the activities of the other improvisers and to external sounds conditions.