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Op.39 (standingwaves), 2014
steel, air, electronics
A composition of 14 steel pipes ranging from 150 to 400 cm in size,
positioned on four platforms. Dimensions ca. 2500 x 400 x 100cm.
Standing waves is a series of sculptural compositions of steel pipes that produce chords of low tones. The sounds are produced by the square steel pipes that are built in close resemblance to flue pipes of a traditional pipe organ. They are tuned to a musical scale and the sound produced by each one is function of it’s length. The title of the work refers to the acoustic mechanism of sound production that occurs inside of organ pipe. The tone produced is determined by the wavelength that fits exactly within the length of a given pipe. Other physical characteristics of the sound such as the overtone spectrum are directly linked to the design of the flue pipe.
The composition is powered by a stream of air that is distributed among individual pipes to produce chords according to set of algorithmic instructions that are executed in realtime.
In essence the sculpture is an acoustic instrument. As the sound radiation is created by a natural physical process, unique sonic effects can be experienced, such as acoustic beating, interference of the waves and masking.
In distinction from a traditional pipe organ, the Standingwaves are arranged in such a way that the sound sources surround the listener, producing a spatial soundfield that the listener can both perceive and imagine. The perceived sonic field varies with the movement of the listener.