Audible Forces installations

Full descriptions of the Audible Forces installations:

Audible Forces is a landscape of wind-driven sound installations. These intriguing kinetic, sonic creations produce other-worldly sounds as nature’s unseen force breathes life into them. #audibleforces

Phantom Field by Mark Anderson

Twenty one Wind Synthesisers form the installation “Phantom Field”, creating a swirling buffeting soundscape.  The Wind Synthesisers use an Atari Punk Synthesiser (built and modified by Graham Calvert) and a modified computer fan to transform the slightest breath of wind into a soaring electronic choir controlled and conducted by the wind. During the day of each show the Wind Synthesisers will be adjusted and played by the artist to create swirling harmonics, and gale force sirens.

darkspark.org.uk      powerplant.org.uk

Arpeggi by Mike Blow

Two large kinetic sculptures, each playing a series of notes and creating interfering sound patterns as they revolve in the wind.

www.evolutionaryart.co.uk

Rol mo wind horse by Jony Easterby

“Rol mo wind horse” uses goose feathers for the perfect wind sail to catch the wind and instigate a rippling of cymbals. Each wind device uses the central locking device recycled from a BMW car door. Pulses from the device triggers a pair of bronze cymbals to crash together. Speed and dynamics are altered by the random nature of the wind, which shapes the sound, at times forming sparse splashes and at others raucous crashings. Referencing Tibetan prayer flags and Rol mo cymbals, each crash sends good fortune into the world. The bronze cymbals have been hand raised by the artist.

Stress and stone by Jony Easterby

Towering, delicate poles bent into arcs by hanging river stones create serene harmonics and percussive flickerings as the wind blows through “Stress and Stone”.  Two ten meter high fibre glass poles are put under tension by long strings hanging from the tip of the poles with rounded river stones attached at the end.  The pitch of the string varies with the weight of the stone. As the wind blows across the strings, harmonics are created and amplified.

www.jonyeasterby.co.uk

                                                                             

Aeolian Harp and Aeolian Percussion by Max Eastley

Max Eastley’s towering structures are a variation on the classic Aeolian Harp, which was an important influence on Romantic writers and connoisseurs. Max’s Aeolian Harp takes the form of a set of bow shaped instruments and his Aeolian Percussion uses stretched latex to form triangular instruments. Both reaching high above the ground to transmit the wind from above our heads, they create a haunting voice for the wind.  Amplification designed by Dave Hunt. The participation of Max Eastley in Audible Forces has been supported by AHRC. maxeastley.co.uk

Howling Wire by Dan Fox

Dan Fox’s “Howling Wire” is a twelve metre high electro-acoustic wind harp.  It is made from recycled military and orchestral hardware. Nylon strings are stretched from the top of a pneumatic mast to the timpani drums to create this giant harp.  With weathervane whistlers and elemental sirens, the wind blows through the strings to create its howling sounds.

www.danfox.net

Sonic Reed Beds by Kathy Hinde

Kathy Hinde’s “Sonic Reed Beds” were inspired by the movement of reeds in the wind. This ensemble of sound sculptures re-imagines the natural reed using steel rods topped with metal or stone. As they move in the breeze, the tops collide creating random compositions of varying densities, from the quiet, gentle collisions of pebbles to overlapping chimes of metal domes. Reed Bed Bases made by Will Datson and Paul Sandimere.

Aeolian Soundmap by Kathy Hinde and Ed Holroyd

Kathy Hinde also collaborated with Ed Holroyd to create an online soundmap to collate sound recordings that occur as a result of the wind. The map can be played back like a musical score and customised in different ways to generate many different Aeolian soundscapes. Play with the map here – www.aeoliansoundmap.co.uk . You can upload your own Aeolian recordings using audioboo. kathyhinde.co.uk

Pigeon Whistles by Nathaniel Mann with Peter Petravicius

The project Pigeon Whistles takes inspiration from centuries old traditions from both Indonesia and China.  Sometimes called Pigeon Flutes, these small, lightweight whistles are carried upon the tail feathers of pigeons and borne through the air to create a beautiful haunting music. Peter Petravicius, a pigeon fancier for over 40 years, has collaborated closely with Nathaniel to breed and train a kit of Birmingham Rollers. The whistles in this project have been designed using recycled materials by Nathaniel Mann, and are directly inspired by the collection of Chinese pigeon whistles housed at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.  Our birds will only fly once or twice a day depending on weather conditions. Nathaniel Mann is a Sound and Music Embedded artist in residence with the Pitt Rivers Museum and OCM. Embedded is supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. 

nathanielmann.co.uk

Produced by OCM (www.ocmevents.org) and Oxford Brookes University Sonic Art Research Unit (www.sonicartresearch.co.uk). Co-commissioned by Brighton Festival (brightonfestival.org) and Without Walls (www.withoutwalls.uk.com).