Phantom Orchestra

Fränk Zimmer

ESC im Labor im steirischen herbst | September/Oktober 2006 Intermediate Spaces Fränk Zimmer - Phantom Orchestra Phantom Orchestra | on 1m2 and 2 levels - Fränk Zimmer version: Intermediate Spaces / steirischer herbst 2006 /Graz A quiver, a slight vibrating, a jerk, that seems to follow certain rules. In parallel abother world of sounds consisting of snippets of a conversation, passing car and other city noises. On the bottom a 1m2 white expanse, which is roofed by another 1m2 white plattform - the stage of the Phantom Orchestra. The Phantom Orchestra is an orchestra without musicians. The orchestra apparatus consists of prepared e-guitars, one e-bass, a tape recorder, and other sounding object that are more or less closely related to the music world. Premiered at Liquid Music in 2005, each new version represents a further development of the project - such as is the spacily compressed version for Intermediate Spaces at steirischer herbst 2006. Audio materials The source material is created by two sound strands. One is a live signal from the proximate acoustic surrounding of the installation space ESC. The second one is a current cut of pre-election atmosphere before the national elections. Control - Composition - System The enviromental sounds are partly audible in the installation, their main function though is to be the structural trigger for the Phantom Orchestra. Based on real-time-sound analysis, the attitude of the sounds strands becomes the constitutive element of the orchestra. The instruments are activated by rubbing, rasping and grating of motors, and other moveable parts attached to the instruments. A sound situation is created that is generated by data of analysis and their interpretation. In this setting, interpretation stands for the fixation of conditions, (what and how it sounds) and the initiation of subsequent developments. The aim is to create an autonomous musical system. Subsystem During the past performances of the Phantom Orchestra , a subsystem has been addded to the original orchester concept. The $ Software The project is realized with Pure Data, an open source programming environment. Thanks to Elli Scambor, Heimo Ranzenbacher, Michael Pinter, Reni Hofmüller, IOhannes m zmölnig, Winfried Ritsch, Pd-Community Fotos Elli Scambor Conzept and Realisation Fränk Zimmer (09/2006)