Theremin in the Rain
1st Performance: Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, Dec. 2005
Live interaction with the theremin causes a progressive series of Max programs to play the mechanized sound sculptures. Long piano wires are divided into resonant sections that are played by midi-controlled solenoids, and a collection of amplified plates are played by midi-controlled water drops. As the theremin controls the installation electronically, a dancer manipulates the harmonic resonance of a long piano string by pulling a variable speed electric motor along the string, and a DJ mixes in barely-audible recordings to accompany.
Vocal monologues, including some quoted texts by Jerry Hunt, are introduced during the performance.
The physical parameters of the sound installation are defined by the architectural space of the performance location. The resulting sounds activate the natural resonant frequencies of the space, and therefore the installation is structurally self-reflective in sound and space.
This piece is about music, sound in space, storytelling, interactive technology, lo-tech and hi-tech, harmonic wave interference, media representation and manipulation, etc.
©Gordon Monahan 2005
