Studies for Thunder Live - a temporal sonic sculpture
Studies for Thunder is a homage to the raw forces and the beauty of nature; an artificial thunderstorm, completely created out of granulated bursts of filtered noise, without the use of any reocrdings or samples. The piece is set up for an impressive multi-channel experience, where the audience is placed right in the eye of the storm:
Eight speakers form a ring, the venue in complete darkness, the audience and the performer sitting in the center. The piece has a duration of 30 minutes and the final version was realised at the Elektronische Studio der Technischen Universitat Berlin in 2005.
The performance has a big dynamic range, with very quiet moments, and with sudden dramatic eruptions, evolving into a dense climax.
Studies for Thunder Live is based on material which can be heard in the last piece of the "Signal to Noise" CD. From that material a a four channel version hs been derived. It had its premiere at MUTEK Mexico in April 2004, performed at a giant volcanic open air space with the audience sitting on lava rocks. Encouraged by the success of this performace I further refined it at the Technical University Berlin into a more complex eight channel version. This version had its premiere at MUTEK Montreal in summer 2005.
The photos on this page show the amazing venue of the first performance in Mexico City. More photos of it in the gallery.
