Like Christof Schläger, all you have to do is stroll through everyday life with your ears open and
suddenly you are captivated by sounds and noises that others pay no particular attention to. It is
during these moments of acoustic amazement and surprise that sound artist Schläger's ears "click".
His imagination immediately begins to formulate plans as to how he could use his expertise as a trained
(construction) engineer to harness these sounds for one of his giant sound machines. As in the case
of his "M-Pipes", a sound sculpture with 16 rain gutter downpipes: "On a very stormy day, I noticed
how the pole of a street sign produced a sound. The strong wind blew over the pipe that was open at
the top. For the M-Pipes, I investigated the phenomenon of air sidestream. Specially built nozzles,
which blow at the opening at a special angle, produce a rough sound. It is more reminiscent of a
transverse flute or sometimes even a deeply bowed cello. It's the same basic principle as the organ
pipe, but the design is very different." But the story of how the "Drum Gate" came about, in which
16 "air drums" form a walk-in "drum gate" with a diameter of four meters, also speaks for Schläger's
creative spirit of discovery: "A deafening parcel sorting system used compressed air swivel arms to
sort the parcels. Rattling sorting arms constantly boxed and hissed the parcels in different directions
on the conveyor belts. A peculiar percussion concert filled the hall." And the "drum gate" was invented.
Schläger's universe of sound machines now includes over 50 such unique pieces with corresponding fantasy
names. These include the "Federine" as well as the "Whupi", the "Telewald" or "Standzeit". They are all
based on acoustic phenomena that originate from an urban microcosm, pneumatic pumps, bells, tubes, hoses
or doorbells. And Schläger transfers these sounds into the macrocosm of playable instrument sculptures
with his sophisticated constructions, making them aesthetically tangible.
He is concerned with the immediacy of sensual perception. This is the central point around which his entire
artistic activity revolves. In his opinion, this immediacy can only be maintained if nothing separates the
listener from the sound production. Then the "magic" of the pure experience is preserved. In his view, we
do not perceive music with the mind, but with the self, the holistic psyche.
So the audience should and must be surrounded by the instruments and is at the center of the action in the
true sense of the word. This is precisely the experience offered by the spatial sound concert "Reconnected",
which appeals directly to our senses. The composer and musician works as a freelance artist in Herne and
Amstelveen. He has created over a period of 30 years, these instruments, which consist of a multitude of
magnetic, electrified apparatuses, valves, motors and so on. The scores for this orchestra are played on a
keyboard and a computer. The audience can move freely through this futuristic jungle of machines and step
through the "drum gate", for example, and then, to borrow a word from John Cage, there is really only one
thing to wish for: Happy New Ears and Eyes! (Text: Guido Fischer)
Hammerwerk consists of four air drums woth eight pneumatically powered hammers for
which the stretched membranes of kevlar -a synthetic fiber of high tensile
strength- over a circular mounting with an internal diameter of 1.50 meters.
Attached to each drum are sixteen hammers each of which are fitted with a
pneumatically operated rotational joint the heads of which covered with
various materials, strike the membrane. The flaming orange color of the
membranes with their small insectile hammer arms gives Hammerwork,
especially when in movement, the appearance of a delicate, organic being.
Material: steel sheets, pneumatic swivel drives, valve islands, control Weight: 55 kg Dimensions: height 220cm [=7.2 ft] x width 150cm [=4.9 ft]
32 Typewriter magnets strike custom-made
oval metal cylinders. There are two versions: One tuned B gate consisted of a Typedrum
to F#, one tuned G to D.
Material: 32 magnets, steel Weight: 50 kg Dimensions: height 300cm [=9.8 ft] x length 380cm [=12.5 ft] x width 80cm [=2.6 ft]
The clattering backdrop of electric daisy
wheel typewriters has become an acoustic museum’s rarity. This particular sound environment
was revived here. For Typedrum small level arms strike membranes of print foil mounted on
round tires.
Material: 16 magnets, metal, foil Weight: 40 kg Dimensions: height 300cm [=9.8 ft] x length 380cm [=12.5 ft] x width 80cm [=2.6 ft]
Motors are mounted on perforated
synthetic foil stretched over eight three-meter-plus high poles. When the motors are
activated they cause the foil to rapidly rotate which generates a robust, clamorous sound.
The eight poles stand on a carrier and the foil, which is red, makes them appear like
long-stemmed plants in a vase.
Material: steel rods, 8 motors, foils Weight: 20 kg Dimensions: length 160cm [5.2 ft] x height 330cm [=10.8 ft]
The mechanical principle: Magnetic generators
let V2-A metal sheets resonate. Chromix exists in four executions. Sound is produced by means
of magnets that stimulate the steel sheets’ intrinsic resonances. The metallic sound produced
varies between made by a transformer and that made by a thunder sheet.
Material: 32 magnets, stainless steel-chrome sheets, metal Weight: 60 kg Dimensions: length 760cm [=24.6 ft] x height 330cm [=10.8 ft]
Schwirrer, built in 2000, is based on a
principle similar to that of an organ or flute in which a column of air is caused to vibrate
when air is forced into a tube. The parallel fluting within the tube generates standing waves of
air similar to the aquatic action in a small brook where extending from the banks crosswise
overlapping waves are formed on the surface of the water.
Material: steel, cable conduits and pipe bends, 8 sewing machine motors Weight: each instrument 80 kg Dimensions: height 350cm [=11.5 ft] x length 700cm [=23.0 ft]
72 telephone bells have been mounted on a
slightly concave carrier of 3.10 meters in height and are struck by magnets. In addition to
these standard telephone bells, the artist also uses prepared bells in the form of flat metal
discs, which produce a rattling sound.
Material: steel profiles, 576 bells Weight: each object 15 kg Dimensions: height 310cm [=10.2 ft] x length 45cm [=1.5 ft]
Connected by a cable electromagnetic signal
generators are mounted at intervals of 0.5 meters. Close-circuited, they generate a cracking
sound. The 32 meter long cable of the Crackboxes chain can be arranged in various ways. Schläger
places the chain either inconspicuously in the room or he constructs with them objects on carriers.
Material: transducer, signal source, cable Weight: 15 kg Dimensions: length 3200cm [=105 ft]
Air passing through rapidly rotating
perforated discs produces a characteristic siren sound. The siren consists of eight discs,
which can be triggered by eight throttle flaps and 16 motors. Wind machine blowing air
into the valve box. The valves distribute the air to the eight hoses.
Air passing through rapidly rotating
perforated discs produces a characteristic siren sound. The siren consists of eight discs,
which can be triggered by eight throttle flaps and 16 motors. Wind machine blowing air
into the valve box. The valves distribute the air to the eight hoses.
Schnelle Bewegungen von gelochten Scheiben erzeugen Töne
wenn Luft hindurchströhmt.Vom Quart existieren zwei Instrumente, Quart Weiss und Quart Rot. Sie sind technisch
gleich aufgebaut unterscheiden sich aber in der Klangfarbe durch anders gestimmte Lochscheiben.
Materialien: Stahl, Rohre, Schläuche, 4 Ventile, 4 Drosselklappen, 4 Motoren Gewicht: 60 kg Abmessungen: 250cm (Höhe) x 110cm (Breite)
Hammerwerk consists of four air drums woth
eight pneumatically powered hammers for which the stretched membranes of kevlar -a synthetic
fiber of high tensile strength- over a circular mounting with an internal diameter of 1.5 meter.
Attached to each drum are sixteen hammers each of which are fitted with a pneumatically operated
rotational joint the heads of which covered with various materials, strike the membrane.
Material: steel sheets, pneumatic swivel drives, valve islands, control Weight: 55 kg Dimensions: height 220cm [=7.2 ft] x weight 150cm [=4.9 ft]
