Harmonic Fields
Internationally acclaimed French artist and composer, Pierre Sauvageot (Lieux publics, France) will create an ‘interactive musical soundscape’ on Birkrigg Common, near Ulverston from 3–5 June.
500 Aeolian instruments (after the Greek god, Aeolus, keeper of the wind) will be installed for 3 days upon the common. The instruments will be played and powered only by the wind, which will create an enchanting musical soundscape which you can experience as you rest or move amongst the instruments.
The installation uses a mixture of conventional and purpose built instruments for example, metal and wood cellos, strings, flutes, Balinese scarecrows, sirens, gongs, harps and bamboo organs. They will be organised into four sections, each named after different types of winds from around the world. The sounds that they create, and the tempo of the music, will depend entirely upon the strength and the direction of the wind.
This is the first event that Lakes Alive have produced that relies entirely upon the wildness of the elements for its success. Birkrigg Common, with its open landscape and stunning views of the sea, will be the perfect environment to immerse yourself in the beauty of the sounds created, driven by the natural elements. Harmonic fields promises an extraordinary musical and visual experience.
Pierre Sauvageot is Artistic Director of Lieux Publics, the National Centre of Creation in Marseilles (France). He composes and creates music with conventional orchestras as well as using these more innovative techniques. His previous projects have included a version of Bartok’s Allegro Barbaro with 100 people on the streets of Marseille, blending traditional instruments and sounds of the city including klaxons, motorbikes and broken bottles!