Interview with Charles Gershom & Ed Wright By BBC Radio Wales about the Sonic Wave Lab, for the Llawn 03 Festival, Llandudno, 2015



BBC Interview Sonic Wave Lab

This piece was written by Ed Wright and me for a performance called LLinell | LLinyn at the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2019, with Helen Wyn Pari on harp.

This piece both stands on its own and acts as a counterpoint to the harp (which will be played on the evening of the event by the harpist Helen Wyn Pari). The piece contains found sounds, samples from Wales and parts of John Thomas's (Pencerdd Gwalia) Llwyn Onn/The Ashgrove. Thanks to Odilon Marcenaro for the use of his Big Pit Winding Gear sample.

21:00, Saturday 3 August, Ffin-y-Parc, Llanrwst (doors open at 20:45):
https://eisteddfod.wales/the-maes/places-maes/agora

LLinell | LLinyn

For one night only, Mist will be inhabited and animated by dancers who will create a movement score responding to the dynamics of the sculpture and music from a live harpist (Helen Wyn Pari) where the taught strings of the instrument and the installation become intertwined via a mesmerising duet.

The artwork Mist by Sébastien Preschoux is a large scale thread sculpture commissioned by Migrations, stretching majestically from tree to tree within the grounds of Ffin-y-Parc Gallery near Llanrwst

Choreographer: Matteo Marfoglia - https://www.matteomarfoglia.com
Dancers: Angharad Harrop, Angharad Jones
Harp: Helen Wyn Pari 
Sound Artists: Alan Chamberlain, Ed Wright
Concept: Marc Rees - https://marcrees.com
Creative Producer: Iwan Williams (Ffiwsar) - http://ffiwsar.com/

Mist (https://vimeo.com/347353984)
Artist: Sébastien Preschoux - http://www.sebastienpreschoux.com
Curator: Karine Décorne, Migrations - http://www.migrations.uk/home

Alan Chamberlain's part in his work acknowledges the FAST Project - EPSRC EP/L019981/1

Odilon's Winding Gear  (for LLinell | LLinyn - National Eisteddfod 2019)

Turbo draws on three separate sound sources namely two Formula One cars which raced when I was young, the Lotus 97T and the Ferrari 412 T2, as well as a Scalextric set. These three sources form the basis of the track with the remaining sounds derived from them or synthesised from first principals.

The engines of that era sounded very different. It was a less regulated time, before the advent of widespread electronics, the introduction of hybrid engines or the level of concern about petrochemicals and their environmental impact. While there have been many changes for the better over the last thirty years in F1, the sound of the grid is not one of them.

While working with the audio to create something musical rather than a historical document several things jumped out at me. Firstly it is amazing how melodic these vehicles are. From the chord of D and A created by snapshot sample of a car in the distance to the almost choir-like textures created by zooming right in on only a very narrow set of frequencies it really should not have been a surprise how ‘tuned’ race cars are. Secondly, the sounds are highly cyclical, but in an evolving way which can be exploited to find not only glitchy textures but also built on and augmented.

As well as drawing on the sounds of the turbo engine the idea of a turbo spiral extends into the structure of the work. There are four main sections to the music which repeat and develop with increasing rapidity. If you travelled around a spiral at a constant speed you would find a new section of music every ninety degrees. As the spiral tightens the sections become shorter, leading to a whirling inexorability in the final stages.

This idea of structural acceleration extends to a Ferrari engine sound heard throughout the work. It starts very low and slow; five-thousandths of its original speed and then gradually ramping up to become audible, first as a bassy rumble before transforming into glitchy background antics before flying past at full speed at the end.

Creating this piece has been an interesting challenge; trying to balance something which is intellectually rigorous (e.g. the golden-spiral mapping and computing), along with creating something which is engaging to listen to. I have tried to convey something of the excitement and nostalgia the source sounds bring to me, but also that tranquil space that you find in split seconds of extreme focus, the loudness and brutality of the spectacle, and hopefully something beautiful.

Turbo

Track In An Hour

Ed Wright was born in Buckinghamshire, England 1980. He finished his  PhD in music with Andrew Lewis at Bangor University, in July 2010. His work is mainly focused toward the electro-acoustic end of the musical spectrum, although he writes for and plays real instruments as well. He performs on violin, viola and voice, as well as laptop: and works with a number of school/student groups promoting performance of both older and more modern music. Recent highlights include a ‘mention’ in the Prix Bourges for his piece Con-chords, a number of commissions including a 3 day sound installation piece in the dark solitary confinement cell of Ruthin gaol, airplay on BBC Radio 1 and S4C television, and a gig in an old gunpowder factory. Ed lives in North Wales (U.K.) with Emma, their daughter Alena (2 and half years old at the time of writing) Ben the dog and Bess the cat. Ed’s music is available on the Blipfonica label.

Turbo

Ed Wright

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