Ghost Wall is an atmospheric composition for recorder quartet and live electronics that explores a fascinating question: what if we could hear the sounds trapped inside ancient stones? Born from an April Fools’ joke, this work takes a fictional concept and transforms it into a mysterious and evocative musical reality. It is compelling contemporary music with live electronics for ensembles and audiences alike.
for musicians and concert programmers
About the composition
The concept behind Ghost Wall began as a clever prank but evolved into a serious artistic exploration. It imagines a form of sonic archaeology, where the past can be directly heard.
From Prank to Musical Reality
The origin of this piece was an April Fools’ joke: the invention of a device that could supposedly extract sound vibrations from ancient masonry. Imagine walls acting like a phonograph record, holding conversations or songs from centuries past. While the device was revealed to be a prank, the intriguing idea remained. What if such a thing were possible through music?
A Fictional Device, A Real Soundscape
Within the composition Ghost Wall, this fictitious instrument becomes a reality. The music transports the listener on a journey back in time. It brings to life the spaces where, for instance, the compositions of Adriaan Willaert first resonated. Instead of a machine, the Brisk recorder quartet and the live electronics work together to make the walls whisper their secrets. The experience remains evocative and mysterious: does the gravestone of a church tomb slide open, or does it close? The music leaves that open to the listener’s imagination.
Performance and Commission
The renowned Brisk recorder quartet commissioned Ghost Wall for their innovative programming. The project also received vital support from the Netherlands Fund for Performing Arts, recognizing its artistic merit.
In performance, Brisk combines their instrumental mastery with captivating live electronics. This integration is essential to the work, enhancing the atmospheric journey and fully realizing the concept of a “Ghost Wall.”
Curious to experience how ancient sounds are brought back to life? Listen to the recording of Ghost Wall by Brisk’s.
For performers
Instruments:
srec, arec,
trec, brec, elec
Duration:
9’
Year:
2009
Premiere:
24 February 2009
Waalse Kerk
Amsterdam
Category:
2-5 musicians
Language:
Latin, Dutch
Lyricist:
Renske Vrolijk
Adriaan Willaert
Are you interested in performing this work? Please contact my publisher.
Renske’s sheet music
is published by Deuss Music.
Listen to Ghost Wall
Performed by Brisk Recorder Quartet