| Etheric
Theremin Harmonic |
| ... |
| A
midi-interactive Theremin is used as a device to control the
speed of electric motors that resonate suspended thunder sheets
(metal sheets). As the motors spin at different speeds (controlled
by a viewer's body-capacitance-proximity to the theremin), they
induce various harmonic vibrations in the thunder sheets. |
| ... |
| The
sound imagery created by this piece may require the listener
to examine the question of 'opposites' and 'contradictions'
in sound and musical phenomena. The central conceptual concern
is to use 'primitive sounds' (motors vibrating metal) to imitate
'technological sounds' (e.g. electronic samplers imitating natural
sounds). The 'technological sounds' (sound samples) are not
present in the installation but their acoustic images do reside
in the perceptual memory of the modern listener. The Theremin
is an historical electronic instrument that represents mystery
(the tones are produced through the 'ether' without physical
contact to the instrument) and old-school analog kitsch (it
was used in many sci-fi movies of the 1950's). |
| ... |
| Questions
may arise as to which sounds are 'real' and which are 'imaginary';
which sounds are 'ancient' and which are 'modern'; which sounds
are 'chaotic' and which are 'controlled'. If we assume the Cagean
stance that music exists in nature, then we assume that music
has always existed in nature, and therefore music predates civilization.
This work develops a technological interface with natural, musical,
prehistoric sounds, in order to question our assumptions of
what music is and where it comes from. |
| ... |
| Gordon
Monahan |
| ... |
| |
| |
| funnyfarmcity@compuserve.com |
| |
