Zeiten-Pendel

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Cybernetic Sound Sculptures

Jutta Ravenna

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 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.

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/Jutta Ravenna)

A relationship between pulse, pulse frequency and the music was already established around
1450 by the physician Michaele de Savonarola in the tempo degrees of mensural music. In
René Henry's and Jutta Ravenna´s performance, the pulse of the one-hertz frequency is
visualized via arm gestures and repeated silently. Anatomical reality becomes gestures.

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

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