Dreaming of a Major Third

composition for the clocktower of MASS MoCa, Produktion: MSS MoCa.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art

The second Kubisch CD on RZ, from one of Germany’s more important sound composers. This features is a composition for the clocktowerof the MA Museum of Contemporary Art. All the sounds derive directly from the original bells from the MASS MoCA clocktower. The sounds have been pitch shifted and attack shaped, but have not been electronically altered. The result is a CD of ultimate installation drone and a must for fans of the Het Apollohuis aesthetic, sound artists like Bill Fontana, etc. “Although simple in effect and at times almost transparent, Kubisch’s installation utilizes complex technology. A band of black reflective solar panels, which surrounds the tower just below the window, acts as a sunlight sensor. The sensor transmits information about the intensity and position of the sun to a computer. A unique software program — designed for this project by engineer Manfred Fox — reacts to the sunlight, assembling pre-recorded bell sounds ‘on the fly’ and compiling them into mini-compositions. The volume and sequence of the sounds vary across a wide spectrum, with cloudy days yielding dark ‘sound colors’ and bright sunlight generating clear pitches, metal-to-metal strikes and more distinct bell tones.”

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