Uploaded November 2011 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
The composition "de la nuit" was composed for the festival "Kryptonale 99" ( kryptonale.de ) performed in former water tanks placed under the ground at Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin. "De la nuit" was created at the computer network of the Centre for Media in Karlsruhe. The acoustic of the tanks are the source for the sound imagination and structure of the piece. In this case the space underneath the earth was a kind of inspiration for the spirit of the work.
The sources used for signal processing in this piece seem to have nothing in common with each other: a sample of instrumental play of a bulgarian folklore, a very short sample taken from a song of Massive Attack and some metal sounds which were created with the physical modelling software Genesis from ACROE Grenoble.
While the sample of Massive Attack is nearly unrecognizable the bulgarian folklore is audible counterpointing itself with transpositions. The strangest moment in the piece is the end where the folklore is reversed sounding along with some metal gong sounds. The rhythm of the gong sounds was entirely performed by the physical modelling software through a complex very slow vibrating object.
During the creation of a work ut of samples there are two very exciting moments deciding about the spirit of the resulting work: first the work with the sample itself; is the sample completely destroyed or is it opposing all the modification processes; is there a new structure developed with the help of the sample or does the sample still continue to be an event. A piano event for example can be changed with different methods: it can be stretched, shortened, reversed and modified in the spectral domain and still is one event; it can be used several times in different pitches, spatial locations, reverb amounts or it is possible to combine all these methods with each other creating a complex structure different to the former event.
The second exciting moment happens during the combination of several structures with each other. All of the structures contain a different character. Out of these patches a new entity is created with the aim to perform a musical story or timeline. Along with the effort to combine the content of the structures to a kind of story board psychoacoustic as well as aesthetic aspects have to be taken into account. One sound or structure might cover up another one since they are in a similar frequency range. Or two processes are in the same rhythmical domain creating undesired combinations of events. These problems have to be addressed with some forms of signal processing techniques like transposition, stretching or looping. This process, combining the structures with each other, goes beyond a classical "mix" only applying modifications to amplitude and duration. In result 90 % of the created structuresare not used while a few other structures are used extensively.
Instead of calling it a mix I would consider this as a combination of interpretation (reacting onto the structures content) and compositional idea (opposing something onto the structure).
In the finalized composition the listener can judge if the piece is more than several structures added to each other. He may find a musical plot narrated throughout the piece. He may find that the sounds are able to create tension and different levels of energy, that a crescendo is more than increasing the dynamic level or that the work is more than the sounds it is made with.
De la nuit was created with the software SND, CLM (William Schottstaedt CCRMA, Stanford), Genesis (ACROE, Grenoble) und Common Music (Heinrich Taube, Illinois) and performed on SGI computers at the Center for Media in Karlsruhe.
The composition "de la nuit" was composed for the festival "Kryptonale 99" ( kryptonale.de ) performed in former water tanks placed under the ground at Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin. "De la nuit" was created at the computer network of the Centre for Media in Karlsruhe. The acoustic of the tanks are the source for the sound imagination and structure of the piece. In this case the space underneath the earth was a kind of inspiration for the spirit of the work.
The sources used for signal processing in this piece seem to have nothing in common with each other: a sample of instrumental play of a bulgarian folklore, a very short sample taken from a song of Massive Attack and some metal sounds which were created with the physical modelling software Genesis from ACROE Grenoble.
While the sample of Massive Attack is nearly unrecognizable the bulgarian folklore is audible counterpointing itself with transpositions. The strangest moment in the piece is the end where the folklore is reversed sounding along with some metal gong sounds. The rhythm of the gong sounds was entirely performed by the physical modelling software through a complex very slow vibrating object.
During the creation of a work ut of samples there are two very exciting moments deciding about the spirit of the resulting work: first the work with the sample itself; is the sample completely destroyed or is it opposing all the modification processes; is there a new structure developed with the help of the sample or does the sample still continue to be an event. A piano event for example can be changed with different methods: it can be stretched, shortened, reversed and modified in the spectral domain and still is one event; it can be used several times in different pitches, spatial locations, reverb amounts or it is possible to combine all these methods with each other creating a complex structure different to the former event.
The second exciting moment happens during the combination of several structures with each other. All of the structures contain a different character. Out of these patches a new entity is created with the aim to perform a musical story or timeline. Along with the effort to combine the content of the structures to a kind of story board psychoacoustic as well as aesthetic aspects have to be taken into account. One sound or structure might cover up another one since they are in a similar frequency range. Or two processes are in the same rhythmical domain creating undesired combinations of events. These problems have to be addressed with some forms of signal processing techniques like transposition, stretching or looping. This process, combining the structures with each other, goes beyond a classical "mix" only applying modifications to amplitude and duration. In result 90 % of the created structuresare not used while a few other structures are used extensively.
Instead of calling it a mix I would consider this as a combination of interpretation (reacting onto the structures content) and compositional idea (opposing something onto the structure).
In the finalized composition the listener can judge if the piece is more than several structures added to each other. He may find a musical plot narrated throughout the piece. He may find that the sounds are able to create tension and different levels of energy, that a crescendo is more than increasing the dynamic level or that the work is more than the sounds it is made with.
De la nuit was created with the software SND, CLM (William Schottstaedt CCRMA, Stanford), Genesis (ACROE, Grenoble) und Common Music (Heinrich Taube, Illinois) and performed on SGI computers at the Center for Media in Karlsruhe.
![Kluster - Eruption [excerpt] (1971)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nJOMFUoKS1E/mqdefault.jpg "Kluster - Eruption [excerpt] (1971)
Eruption is the third and final full-length album by German experimental music trio Kluster. It is also the only live recording issued by Kluster.
Eruption was recorded in 1971 at the last concert performed by Kluster and was recorded by Klaus Freudigmann. Eruption was released with what, according to Conrad Schnitzler, was an incorrect title Kluster und Eruption in 1971 as a private pressing. Only 200 copies of the original LP were pressed and sold. It was reissued as a Conrad Schnitzler solo album under the title Schwarz (literally Black), though the contributions by Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius were credited. The album was not released under its proper title, Eruption, until the reissue on CD by German label Marginal Talent in 1997. Conrad Schnitzler also reissued Eruption on CD on his Plate Lunch label.
Eruption is widely considered to be the most listenable Kluster release. It is the only release without spoken religious text. In places the style also begins to resemble the electronic sound heard on early albums by Cluster, the successor to Kluster which came into being after Schnitzlers departure. Each side consists of one long, instrumental, improvisational jam. John Bush, writing the review for Allmusic, describes the music in part as having: ...forbidding violin lines, heavily distorted organ, and an assortment of tape effects leading the way for several minimalist guitar workouts.
Video created with Audacity, Sonic Visualizer and vokoscreen on an openSUSE 13.1 Linux System.")
