Sound is vibration. A sound source causes the air to vibrate, and through our eardrum our auditory organ vibrates along with it. The auditory nerve carries the signal to our brain, which converts the information from the vibrations into a highly differentiated sound. It happens constantly, both consciously (listening) and unconsciously (hearing). Moreover, we are able to interpret those perceived sounds. We recognise the sound of an animal or a watercourse, and our entire language system is based on the semantics of specific sounds and sound combinations.
As the onomatopoetic title suggests, this vibration is at the centre of RrrRrrrrRrrrrrrrr. Everyday objects are stacked and made to vibrate by amplification equipment. The source of the vibrations are samples that are very precisely created to optimally vibrate the bases of objects. Depending on the physical properties of those objects (material, size, weight …), certain frequencies are amplified more or less. This creates new pitches and rhythms. The result is a rich and multicoloured palette of resonances.
Since time immemorial, we have been crafting objects and matter from nature into artefacts. Even objects whose primary purpose is not to generate musical sounds are turned into musical instruments in this context. For Wannes Deneer, this performance is “an ode to the everyday soundtrack”. It is an invitation to listen to the sound of everyday objects, to objects that may not have been conceived as musical instruments but become them in this artistic context. (From a text by Klaas Columbier, courtesy of Concertgebouw Brugge)
Text & acting: Yinka Kuitenbrouwer – Sound, image and acting: Wannes Deneer – Dramaturgy: Marie Peeters – Musical advice: Suze Milius – Musical advice: Toon Callier – Set design: Sven Roofthooft – Costume design: Wim Muyllaert
RrrRrrrrRrrrrrrrr is a production by Matter of Sound, in co-production with Concertgebouw Brugge and C-TAKT (Pelt), with support from Vincent Company (Antwerp), c o r s o (Antwerp), De Grote Post (Ostend) and the Flemish Community.
Following this, Dries Janssen, artistic coordinator at Musica Impulse centre, will give a continuous workshop in which everyone from 12 years old onwards can get to work themselves with vibrations and everyday objects.
