Zeiten-Pendel von Jutta Ravenna

kybernetische Klangskulpturen

Seconds tick by weightily; minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years: the essence of the pendulum of a grandfather clock is to measure time precisely by the repetitive beat of the pendulum. A metronome, on the other hand, as a timer in music, is able to combine variable tempos within a scale.

Jutta Ravenna’s latest work Zeiten-Pendel, explores the metronome as a sound event that oscillates between stability and instability within multiple ‘sound objects’: swinging loudspeakers in the space. To explore the physical as well as the spatial sonic effects, the size of individual metronomes has been varied and increased to architectural proportions.

From September the 29th to October the 3rd, 2021, the Flutgraben e.V. will show the installation around the topic of time. (What is temporal is finite.) The sound installation will be accompanied by an artist talk with Sabine Sanio, University of the Arts Berlin Master program Sound Studies and Sonic Arts. A special highlight awaits audiences Wednesday night at 7 and 8pm with two concerts, each with an electroacoustic and cybernetic live performance.

Work genesis:

In the first phase, physical experiments with the pendulum mechanics were carried out while the mechanics were decoupled from their original sound input, in order to be coordinated with each other by a computer in the later course of the project. In this respect, the computer-based audio design follows the pendulum mechanics. In total, there are four modes: with sound swinging, without sound swinging, with sound at standstill or without sound at standstill. Regarding the frequency of the pendulum and the stepless regulation of the motor’s speed, both levels (sound production and motor drive) are controlled in such a way that a sound can be heard at the pendulum's turning point. The pendulum orchestra is installed on the ceiling, it’s movements are controlled by computer generated sound material. Instead of the typical clicking sound, diverse percussive material is sampled and mixed. Different types of loudspeakers change the timbre in Jutta Ravenna’s Zeiten-Pendel. Polymetric structures and tempo fluctuations form another component in the variation. The project concludes with a presentation of the pendulum orchestra that takes the specific acoustics of the space into account.

The initial development of a prototype was followed by the construction of eight more variable pendulums. As an open project, the amount and size of the objects can be increased indefinitely, relating to possible future situational and spatial conditions.

Between order and chaos and influenced by the self-resonance of the pendulum, the computer program controls the movements as well as the speed and deflection, based on size and weight. The pulse of time is seen in the synchronous/asynchronous swinging, the appearance of a common tempo and in the acceleration/deceleration or standstill of individual pendulum pairs or groups.

One-Hertz-Performance (René Henry and Jutta Ravenna)
A relationship between pulse, pulse frequency and the music was already established around the year 1450 by the physician Michaele de Savonarola in the tempo degrees of mensural music. In René Henry' and Jutta Ravennas performance for five players, the pulse of the one-hertz frequency is visualized via arm gestures and repeated silently. Anatomical reality becomes gestures.

Performers: Juliane Winkler, Sara Messell, Roberta Busechian and Max Joy

Technical team: Carlo Crovato, Nico Daleman, Paul Schuladen, Jan Mudrak and Dorian Lange

The project Zeiten-Pendel is supported by the Musikfonds, Neustart Kultur, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Errant Sound and the Initiative Neue Musik Berlin

kinetic sound installation: 30.09.- 03.10.2021
thursday to sunday, 3 to 8pm

opening : wednesday, September the 29th at 6:00 pm
live performances: 7pm and 8pm

concert with an electroacoustic and cybernetic live performance (Jutta Ravenna)
One-Hertz-Performance (René Henry and Jutta Ravenna)

sunday, 03.10. at 5:00 pm
artist talk: with sabine sanio, university of the arts berlin master program sound studies and sonic arts.

• Jutta Ravenna, kybernetische Klangskulpturen: »Zeiten-Pendel« (2021)