The world's greatest print and online music magazine. Independent since 1982

Audio
Subscribe

Donate now to help The Wire stay independent

Tracks

Annotated playlists, exclusive mixes, album previews and more.

Listen: Harry Bertoia recordings

May 2015

Listen to recordings of sound sculptor and furniture designer Harry Bertoia's Sonambient sculptures

Matt Krefting writes about the designer and artist in The Wire 375: "At first I’m hesitant to touch them, until Harry Bertoia’s son Val, acting as my guide, tells me that it’s okay as long as I’m gentle. I’m looking at the human-sized metal rods ranked before me like sonic soldiers in Harry Bertoia’s Sonambient barn in Bally, Pennsylvania, on a cold afternoon in January. I tentatively approach the sculpture that sounded the most comforting in the performance cum demonstration Val had just given me. With gloved hands I gently nudge one of a spray of bells atop the rod, causing it to swing towards the others without hitting them. To get a result, I more firmly cluster some rods together with both hands. As I slowly release them each bangs into its neighbours, creating a wholly unpredictable series of lovely chimes that linger for minutes after they were struck."

Sonambient: Recordings Of Harry Bertoia is set to be released in September by Important.

Check out a photo gallery of Bertoia's Sonambient sculptures here

Leave a comment

Pseudonyms welcome.

Used to link to you.