«De Composition» is composed for the large pipe organ at Storetveit Church in Bergen, Norway. Here you can hear the organ sounding like you’ve never heard before! Part of the music is played with the air pressure turned off: just playing on whatever air is left in the bellows (depending on how I play, the organ at Storetveit can sound for about 3 minutes after it’s turned off). When the organ has been switched off for a while, you can hear many overtones! (if your hearing is OK..) NB! The sound level of this recording is relatively low. All sounds were easier to perceive in the church, than when listening now to small computer speakers. On a regular PC or Mac you can probably play all the music at full volume (even on the loudest parts – just test the levels first!). If you can play the music on a better sound system, you should consider if it is nnecessary to lower the volume somewhat on the loudest parts: c.1:40–2:00, c.5:40–7:20, c.8:58-c.9:20, c.11:45?-12:23. For the second part (Anne Marthe Dyvi’s images): Add c.16:10 to the previous times. De Composition is composed to a video projection made by Anne Marthe Dyvi. We have enjoyed working together – demonstrating the unique sounds of the organ as well as making some independent expressions about each of the seasons of the year: spring, summer, autumn, winter – ending with a tiny hope of a new spring. I play the music twice: first to a live video, showing some of what’s happening in and on the organ, then I play the same music to Anne Marthe Dyvi’s fine video! Perhaps (probably) you will get rather different impressions of the music, depending on which pictures/videos you are watching? This work was commissioned by Borealis – a festival for experimental music – with the support of Arts Council Norway (Norsk Kulturråd) It was World premiered at the BorealisFestival on March 19, 2021. Some more info on facebook.com/ruth.bakke Sheet music is available at the Norwegian National Library: nb.no/noter/produkt/de-composition-composed-for-the-large-pipe-organ-at-storetveit-church/ Ruth Bakke
Ruth Bakke 