Winfried Ritsch: Gesang der Orgel

Gesang der Orgel (the song of the organ) is a traversable sound installation for three register organ pipes, bass register, six large glissandi pipes and one singer. Organ pipes from a Hradetzky church organ are spread around the rooms of the Reaktor; each pipe is playable individually within a computer network. This spatially distributed organ is not just part of an acoustic set design, but constitutes a decentral robotic sculpture while exhibited and played. The acoustic / musical repertoire of this installation spans from manipulated tones and clusters to short speech-like phrases to barely noticeable glissandi. The individual organ pipes can be controlled by a computer in terms of volume and airflow, but also by fine tuning. These malleable tunings enable a ‘harmonic unison’ of overtones, where different wave sounds and rhythms only appear to be repeating themselves. Additionally, custom-built organ pipes between one and four meters long are dipped in water containers robotically and transformed into glissandi pipes which can play barely audible glissandi as well as quick jumps in tone. The sound installation will be inaugurated live with the singer Lissie Rettenwander. Here, human and machine will become so connected that the computer organ will imitate human singing. In the following days, this computer singing will vary and be repeated in loops. Instead of a keyboard, the voice and the microphones become the organ’s interface. Visitors will see an algorithmic composition which can play on indefinitely. The sound experience ends with another vocal performance at the finissage. (Lissie Rettenwander, Winfried Ritsch)

Produktion Reaktor
Kooperation Wien Modern