Thisessaywasinvitedforpublicationin Rudi,Jran(ed.)Absorpsjonogresonanslydogmening(AbsorptionandResonanceSoundandMeaning).Oslo:NOTAM,2008. ThebookwaspublishedinconjunctionwithNOTAMssoundartexhibitionsofthesamename,atHenieOnstadArtCentre, November20,2008January20,2009.

AWaveAcrosstheAuditorium [someauralobservationsonspaces,soundandart] KatharineNorman Wherevertherearevibratingmoleculestheresthepotentialforawaveacrosstheauditorium.Whenit comesdowntoit,anauditoriumissimplyaspaceinwhichsoundstravelandlisteningcantakeplace.Physical spaceisagiven:andsincesoundnotonlyoccupiesbutdependsonphysicaldimension,itisonlynaturalthat nearlyeveryworkof,orincluding,sound,addressesitinsomerespect.Andwhileavarietyofotherspaces mightbeinvolvedintheartsofsound,theyallassumeatleastonepairofears.Thisshorttourpresents choicesthatareeclectic,andnotalwaysintendedastypicallyrepresentative.Butall,tomylisteningmind, addressspacesofonekindoranother.Butfirst,whereinwhichspacetobegin:musicorsoundart? [here] [So let me start the story here (a space present to each of us, in different ways) PersonallyIsharesoundhistorianDouglasKahnsdiscomfortwith(thevariouslyinterpretedterm)soundart
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(Kahn,2006,p.2),inthatthegenre,somewhatlikeitsartisticclosecousin,installationart,appears sometimestohavebeenaretrospectivemonikerappliedbyacannyestablishment.IalsoshareKahnsview thatcraft,discipline,andvirtuosity,evenahealthypretenseforprofoundandimprovisatoryinsightwouldgo alongwayatimprovingalltheartsofsound(Kahn,2006,p.10).(Itaintwhatyoudo,itsthewaythatyoudo it)ButIdontwanttofillspacewithslitheringbetweendefinitionsjustnow,otherthantoremarkthatthe divisionbetweensoundartandmusicis,inmyopinion,bothproblematicandequivocal:thetwoliebackto backonaMoebiusstripthatnobodycan,orperhapswants,todisentangle.Possiblythedistinctionis relativelyunimportant.HereIshallbeindiscriminateinmylistening. [insideout] from a quite ordinary subject position (that is, the space I occupy). I am sitting in my room (an absent space, to you), trying to articulate

Iamsittinginaroomdifferentfromtheoneyouareinnow.Iamrecordingthesoundofmy speakingvoiceandIamgoingtoplayitbackintotheroomagainandagainuntiltheresonant frequenciesoftheroomreinforcethemselvessothatanysemblanceofmyspeech,withperhaps theexceptionofrhythm,isdestroyed TheopeningofAlvinLucierstextforIamSittinginaRoom(1970) IamSittinginaRoomretainsaninfluentialallureforsomanycomposersandsoundartists.Whydoesthis workprovesoattractivetointerestedlistenerswhodiscussit,recreatetheirownversions,orsimplycome acrossitontheinternettotheirlisteningdelight?IamSittingisoddlyuninflectedbyitsplaceintime,in comparisontoothercontemporaneousworks.Ageless,despiteitsrelianceontechnologynowsupersededby digitaltools,itarticulatespersonal,physicaland,yes,socialspacesthroughthesimplestofmeans.Luciersits inaroomandrecordshimselfspeakinghistext.Heplaystherecordingbackintotheroomwhilererecording, andthenreiteratesthisprocessrepeatedlyuntiltheaccumulationofroomresonancescreatesawebof reverberantpitches.Inanexampleofrecursivegeniusallround,hedescribestheprocessheisundertakingin
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ordertoundertakeit.Listeningtotheresultistoencounterthetremblingmoleculesofspace,gradually revealedrightbeforeyourears.Andyetthisisfarmorethanasimpleprocesscomposition:listeningtoitis alsotoencounterinaroomdifferentfromtheoneyouareinnowthephysicalityofaremembered room;Luciersthinkingandspeakingpresence,andhisstutter.Thislatterimpedimentistransfiguredinits instrumentalrole,triggeringthemusicalityofvibratingairinaboundedspacesoinsteadofturningaway withslightembarrassmentwetendforwards,andlongtolisten.Severalspacesarereconfigured. Ofcourseitallcomesdowntoreconfiguredlistening.Anymagiciancouldinformyou(butprobablywillnot) thatatroottheresnomysterytothedirectedtwistofperceptionthatcanrenderrealitydifferentfora while.Butinwhatwaycanlisteningbedifferent?JimDrobnick,inhisintroductiontoAuralCulture,a collectionofessaysaboutandbyartistsworkinginsound,offersthenotionoflisteningawry,acknowledging thistranspositionofSlavojiekslookingawry.WhileiekelucidatesLacaniantheorythroughcultural studies(largelyfilm),Drobnicksphraseologysimplyretains,ashesays,theimperativetoattendtothingsnot straightforwardly,butfromanangle,fromaninterestedratherthanobjectiveperspectivebylistening awrywemayalsoreflectuponthemyriadmeaningsofmurmursandcacophony,andhowtheactofhearingis itselfconscious,implicated,andsubjecttocultivation.(Drobnick,2004,p.11). Atonelevellisteningcanneverbelessthaninterestedandhearing,ofitself,neveris.Listeningisthe interpretationofthingsheard;itsfallibility,andthecognitivetensionsthatcanensuewhenlisteningis frustratedhavebeenmuchexploredbycomposers.Thisisparticularlytrueofthosecomposersinterestedin Schaefferiantheoriesofreducedlistening(couterduite)inwhich,verybroadlyspeaking,thereisa preoccupationwiththeperceptual(andcognitive)effectofhearingsoundsthatareobjectifiedbyabstraction, beingeditedorprocessedinamannerthatremovesthemfromtheirsource.ButDrobnicksappropriationisa niceone,inparticularwithregardtotheopportunitysoundaffordsartiststocultivatenotonlylisteningbut alsoanacknowledgementthateachhearingindividualbringsadifferentsetofskillsandsusceptibilitiestoa work. [outsidein] my thoughts (a space where I exist) about sound, art, and the stories that spaces tell, can tell, or might tell. But its just not happening. My minds a blank (a space that appears to lack anything of especial interest). I blame this mental impasse
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Incultivatinglistening,technologyissooftenofassistance,beitviapanpipesorprogramming,onvinylorCD, throughthevirtuosomaelstromofamultichannelperformance,ortheunderstatedclackofaJapanese bamboofountain.NowthatsomanyofushaveaniPodinourpocket,orsomesuchmethodfortransporting whateversounds(andlisteningchoices)wechoosefromoneplacetoanother,itseasytoforgetthatthe facilityeasilytorecordandreplaysoundiscomparativelyrecent.Thoughnaturerecordingsonvinylhadbeen aroundforquiteawhile,itwasnotuntilthe1950sthatinformalfieldrecordingsontapebecameafeasible prospect.Bythelate1960svariousgroupsandindividuals,andperhapsmostnotablytheWorldSoundscape ProjectheadedbycomposerR.MurraySchafer,inCanada,were,inkeepingwiththespiritofthetimes, collectingenvironmentalsoundsasawayofdocumenting,andpoliticising,thechangingnatureofthemodern sonicenvironment.Theirrecordingsofenvironmentalspacesservedasacommentaryonthebehavioursthat created,threatenedorchangedthem:theacousticecologyoftheworld.Manycomposersandsoundartists, includingsomeassociatedwiththeWSPnotablyBarryTruaxandHildegardWesterkamphavebrought thesamethinkingtocreativework. Fieldrecordingcanbringtheoutsidein,withtheresultthatcomprehensionofbothmaychange.Soundscpe compositionsexploitthispropensity,andoftencelebratelocality,frequentlybyidealizingenvironmental space.Oftentheselectedsonicenvironmentsalreadyhaveaninherentlyattractiveauralprofile,whetherrural orurbanincharacter.SoHildegardWesterkampsTalkingRainisanintricatelycomposedmontagethatinvites thelistenersimmersioninWestCoastrain,focusingonthebeautytheaestheticappreciationofthis naturalphenomenonstransformationofaurallyperceivedspace.LucFerrarisPresqueRienseries,onthe otherhand,composesfromalmostnothingthatis,apparentlyalmostuntouchedanduneventful environmentalrecordings,withnoparticularfocusonengaginganimalcallsorsounds,thoughoftenincluding snatchesofvoiceorbackgroundhumanpresence.BycontrastJudyKleinsTheWolvesofBaysMountain sharestheenvironment,andsocialspace,ofwolves,integratingdocumentaryrecordingandsynthesizedor processedsound.Manyoftheseworksmightseemsomewhatuncomposedbutinfactareoftenhighly organised,withsoundmaterialstweakedandtunedcarefullyintheauralequivalentofcoloristpainting.So mundaneexperiencebecomessaturatedandvibrant,andlisteninggainstheimmediacymorecommonto visualexperience:theworldlightsupwithsound.Andthespacethatsoundscapeworkultimatelyilluminates isofcoursesocietal,enlargingthelistenersawarenessoftoadoptMurraySchafersphrasethetuning oftheworld. [dislocation]
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(a seemingly untraversable space) partly on the plumber who is busy working in the bathroom next door and punctuating his hammering with out-of-tune arias. He is a nice plumber, with quite a nice voice, but he favours Elvis in alternation with Simon and Garfunkel. Its hopeless; his presence (an aurally defined space) defeats my attempts InLondonsTrafalgarSquareIstaredoutatthetrafficwhilelisteningtotheseabreakingonashore.Theshore wasmostcertainlynotadistantone,tomyperception,sincetheamplitudewaswelladjustedtobothmask thesurroundtrafficnoiseandgivethesensationofbeingtoscale.BillFontanasWaveMemories(1999), transfersonesonicenvironmentintothespacenormallyoccupiedbyanother;whatimmediatelyemergesis perceptualdissonanceastoplace.Bothsightandsoundseemhereandnow:real.Fontanahasmadea lifetimesworkfromrelocatingauralspaces,takingfurtherCagesdictumtoletsoundsbethemselvesbythis ostensiblysimplecontrivance.Andinthisnew,perceptuallydividedspace,listeningbecomesitselfwithan insistencethatmostWesternlisteners,soweddedtovisualexperience,onlyassociatewithsight. Mostpeopleusetheirvisualperceptiontotuneoutandnotpayattentiontoambientsounds ofagivenspace.Bycarefullyplacingnaturallyoccurringenvironmentalsoundsinaspacewhere theynormallydonotbelong,thisperceptualmaskingtechniqueisdefeatedandpeopleare confrontedwithsoundstheycannotignore.FontanaininterviewwithJranRudi(Rudi,2005, p.98). TheresnotransitioninFontanasreplacingofambientsound.Buttransitionsmovementsovertimeare fundamentalingaugingdimensions,anddimensionsdefinespace(ofvariouskinds).Ithasbeenawhilesince sailorsmeasuredfathomsbythelengthofanoutstretchedarm,butwestillmovefromoneendoftheroom totheother,ifonlyinourminds,togaugeitsextent.(ShallIsitatthefrontortheback,orhalfwaydown? WillIbeabletohearfromhere?)Formostofus,complexmultisensorytransitionsarehowwechartour positionandultimatelyadjudgeoursafetyinaspace.Mosttransitionsprobablystartandendatseeing,but eventheendpointofaurallyinitiatedtransitionsiscommonlyvisual:weheartheambulanceapproachingand awaititsvisualarrivalaroundthebend;welooktoseewhichwindowhasbeensmashed.Sonicartistshavefor years(atleastsinceFrenchcomposerandresearcherPierreSchaeffers1940sexplorations)consideredthe phenomenologicalimplicationsofonlyalludingtoauralvisualtransitionsteasingtheearswiththefamiliar timbreofanowinvisibleobjector,attheotherendofthescale,withabstractedsonicgesturethatnowlacks evenanimaginedpossiblesource.
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[disorientation] to plumb for ideas (one space obliterates the other). Admitting defeat, I depart for a walk in the drizzling rain (a transfigured space), first grabbing a couple of apples from our neighbours tree in case Meg the Removingthevisibleobject(actualorimagined)enablesdeliberatelyfailedtransitions;theserealign listeningtowardsadifferentconsciousnessoftimbreandgesture.And,aswithFontanaswork,theperceived herebecomesaplacethat,lackingreliableintelligibility.Onceintelligibilityisbracketedoutofthepicture, listeningcanedgetowardssurrealplaces.ItisinterestingthatFontanachoosestospeakofconfrontation,an avowedlyvisualmetaphor,inrelationtoperceivinghisdislocatedenvironments.Withinthecontextof experiencingart,dislocationisallpartofthespatialfun,orcanbe.Outsidethatframe,theabsenceoffully sensorytransitionsisoftennofunatall.Realitybecomesuntrustworthy.ForJohnHull,blindafteryearsof fadingsight,thereisnownothingtomediatebetweentheintangiblesoundsofvoicesandtheimmediate contactofbodies,bodycontactbecomesallthemorestartling.Ahandshakeoranembracebecomesashock, becausethebodycomesoutofnowhereintosuddenreality.(Hull,1992,p.56).Considerhischoiceof words:immediatecontact,startling,shock,outofnowhere,suddenreality.Heisevidentlyattempting toconveyanexperienceinwhichhisconsciousnessismomentarilyreconfigured,withoutwarningor explanationinthisworldwithouttransitions.WhatHullisreallydescribingisalossoftemporal(viaspatial) experienceandwithittheconsciousnessofhispositioninrelationtotheworld.Thislackofexperience threatenshisownidentity. Artthatismotivatedtoelicitthatdisorientation,isnotconcernedwiththeprocessoftransition,orwith startingfromtheknownworld.Insteaditdealswithabstractionbeyondthoughtsofphysicalspace. Extremes,itseems,cantakeyouthere.Longandlouddislocatesspacesthroughtemporalobliteration:the reconfigurationofdurationalexperience.Afterawhile,temporalspaceextendstoeverything,ornothing.But withoutmeasurableextent,thereisnospacetofill.Thereisnoplacetobe.Nospaceatall.Givingoneself overtothiskindofobliterationcandivertspatialawarenesstotheinnerlandscapesofphenomenological experience.ItisnosurprisethatcomposerFranciscoLpezchallengeswhathecallsthepragmaticgoalofthe moreconventionalsoundscapecomposition.Hiscompositionsareoftenlong,relentlessandexplore extremesoftimbre(throughfiltering,forinstance)orareperformedatextremeamplitudesintotaldarkness. Tohim,composersweddedtothesoundscapeapproachseekasupposed,unjustifiedintegrationofthe listenerwiththeenvironment(Lpez,1997).Lpez,alongwithadiversecollectionofartistswhoworkin
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differentmannersatthevariousextremesofsoundwhetherminimalist,glitch,noiseorlowercaselow amplitude,tendstopromotethedeliberatedisintegrationofexperienceasameanstogainaccesstoa purelyphenomenologicalspace: Idonotdefendsonicmatterasanaestheticorconceptualcategory,butasagateto differentworldsofperception,experienceandcreation.(Lpez,2004) [aninterioraside] cart-horse is in her paddock (a space within a space). She is, Comeinsidenow.InadarkenedroomIviewvastcavernsandendlessshadowytunnelswithbatedbreath.I havenoideahowthisspaceshouldlookor,moreimportantlyinthiscontext,whatthewrongthingwould looklike.Iamnervous,andquitelost:Idonotknowthisspaceatall.Iambeingexploredbysound.Notonly thatbutImovemyexploringmindwithinspacesIevidentlyregardasseparatefrommyself.Bladder,kidneys, ovaries,wombtheultrasoundwandilluminatesthembysonicmeansasitleadsawaythroughthisalien land. and makes short and very resonant (inside her is a cavernous space) work of Wasthattoocloseforyou?Tooupclose?Theresonantspacesinsideareourownunknown.Werarelyhear them.Orwetrynottolisten.Itsjusttoopersonal. Inuitthroatsinging,anartthatisintendedmoreasasonicendurancegamethanmusic,involvestwowomen standingorcrouchingoppositeoneanother,articulatingsungsyllablesinafastalternation.Thesoundis extraordinary,abreathyhocketthatiscertainlyattractiveinitsrhythmictoandfro.Itusedtobethatthey sangreallycloseup,mouthsnearlytouching,sothatonesingerssoundswouldresonaterightinsidethe othersthroat.Inevitably,throatsingingwasbannedbyuncomprehendingChristianmissionaries,forarounda hundredyears.Butnowthepracticeisreemerging,andcelebratedifonlyasaratherselfconsciousattempt toregainaparticularculturalspace.

the apples investigating my pocket for more (a

before

aggressively

Isthisnowfarenoughaway?Oraretherestilltoomanyuncomfortableimplications? Astreamofflatulencebuildsacrescendo,risingfromaquietinnocuouspattertoagravelly,animalistfart explosion,patentlyissuingfromquitethewrongorificeformusicalsound.Thisismusicfromanothermouth. Listeningmovesuncomfortablybetweenhumour,disgust,discomfort,andfascination,allthewhileskirting varioustaboos.ChristofMigonesSouthWindsisanactofspatialbodilytransliterationscoredforthe unknownregions.Thesoundsthatsignalspaceswecantreach.Thesoundsthat,incivilizedsociety,weban fromoursensibilities.AnArtuadanalaria.MostofhisperformanceandCDworksexploresoundsfromthe placeswherewedonotnormallygo,oratleastnotinpublic:theclicksandcrunchesofcrackingjoints,the farts,thepeeing,slobberingthewholerepertoireofbodilyeruptionsandeructation.Artthatattendstothe bodysproblematicspacesisnotoftenconcernedprimarilywithcomposingthesoundsproduced,but Migonesworktrulyismusic,andsoconfrontstheweightculturalmassofaestheticizedsound:inawilful challengetoacceptancehecastshisrepertoireofrevulsioninworksthathaveasophisticatedearforsound andform. hidden, possibly concealing, space). We stand, silent, either side of the fence that demarks our territories Wasthisbriefoutbursttoodisgustingforwords?Ordoyouhaveasneakingdesiretopokearoundinthere somemore? [bodiesthatmove] (together in a space defined by conventional boundaries) and we both, I presume, hear the wind in the trees and the cockerel that pipes up intermittently in the distance (relative spaces, the here and there). Eventually Meg walks away, bored with my fruitless company, and I stomp back towards the English village I now call home (a space in which to safely rest). Back at my front door (the transition from public to private space) I brace myself for further plumbing serenades. I must get on, theres no time to procrastinate (a temporary space). But wait,
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Peopleinheadphonesareshufflingbackandforthinwhatseems,totheoutsideobserver,anabsentminded Brownianmotion.Theyaremostlysilent,smilingastheypasseachother,occasionallylaughingorexclaiming brieflyfornoapparentreason.UponawindyconcreteterraceatLondonsHaywardGallery(oneofthose Brutalistbuildingsthatweresoeagertograbthedemocraticspace)theyarealonetogether,movinginadis concertedfashion,inaspacedefinedbylistening. Referringtosoundart,LeighLandyattests(andIconcur)thatdramaturgyisvirtuallyasinequanonofthisart form(Landy,2007,p.162).Soundartentailsthechoreographyofbothsoundsandlisteningbodies,ina contextthatalwayshas(somekindof)extraphysicaldimension.Butwhomovesthebodyinspacethe artistorthelistener,thesoundstransmittedortheparticipant?Perhapsweareallshufflingbackandforth together.ChristinaKubischsHaywardGalleryinstallation,oneofherelectronicwalks,waspartofa landmarkfestivalofsoundart,SonicBoom(2000).Soundsweretriggeredbytheindividuallisteners movementinaspace.Uponthatbleakterrace,Iandmyfellowtravellersencounteredsoundsrecognisable fromtherealworld,andcreatedpersonalisedmontagesby,literally,movingfromonetoanother.Meanwhile, theLondonskylinecontinued(withallitsaccompanyingurbansounds)andtheHaywardsrathertired concretebeliedthescenariosconjuredbythesoundshorses,people,birds.Temporarilyconfinedwithin thephysicalarchitecture,eachlistenerwasalmostentirelypreoccupiedwithfindingwaystochartaninternal coursethroughlistening.Insteadofavoidingrocksandpromontories,thisvoyageentailedseekingout invisiblepresence,inthehopeofacollision.Ithappensallthetime,inparticularinworksthatencouragea contributoryrole:inPauldeMarinisandRebeccaCumminswork,ALightRain(2004),participantseachtake anumbrellaandenteranartificialrainshower,littoproducearainbow.Astheirumbrellasbreakanddivert thewater,musicalsoundsaretriggered.Sitespecificsoundworksthatinviteplay,cooperation,and communityinvolvementofthiskindareoftennotsomuchconcernedwithmakingmusicaswith empowerment,withprovidingamicrocosmicmetaphorforthesameonalargerscale. Naturally,participatoryinteractionqueriesanother(generally)physicalspace:thatbetweenperformerand listener.Unusually,JanetCardiffsFortyPartMotet(2001)illuminatesthisdividebypurelyspatialinteraction: notinteractiveintheconventionallyacceptedsenseofmakingthingshappen;itsimplyoccupiesa significantlydefinedspaceandinviteslistenerstoenterit.Butindoingsothispieceofsoundartinveiglesits wayintochallengingwhatlistening,musicandperformancecanbe.Placedinagalleryspace,forty loudspeakersmimicthespatialdistributionofthefiveeightpartchoirsrequiredtoperformSpeminAlium,a motetcomposedinthelate1500sbyThomasTallis.Tallissmotetisalreadyawondrousobjectofsonic architecture,inwhichthefortyindividualmusicallinesweaveavariedpolyphonictexture,sometimesdense, sometimeswithonlyafewlinesactiveatonetime.Byarrangingtheloudspeakersinimitationofthechoirs, Cardiffnotonlyprovidesamusicalperformanceinwhichthehumanbodyisreplacedbythetechnological
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simulacrum,butinvitesthehumanlistenerstotransgress:tocrossthedividebetweenstageandaudience andentertheperformance.Approachingoneorotherspeakerthelistenerencountersfragmentsof polyphonyinsoloisolation,andalsothesilencesinindividualparts,aslinesceaseandthenrestart.Thisisthe antithesistowhatcontrapuntalmusicconveysasitslisteningproduct:thewayitnormallyfillsmusical listeningspace.Insteadthefrailhumanityofafragmentedsolotherecordofaanindividualbody contributingtothecommunityofperformanceismadeexplicit,evendowntothechatterofchoirboys beforetheperformancebegins.Thelistener,nowasoloexplorer,isatlibertytolistento,anddirect,this deconstructionofperformance. Composersandartistswhoworkinspace,designingaurallandscapesforaparticularphysicalarchitecture, assumethelistenersambulatorypresencejustasanarchitectdesignsbuildingsinanticipationof,andin serviceof,humanactivityinaspace.InstallationartistssuchasRobinMinardandthevisualsoundartist CarstenNicolai,makeworksthatfusesonicandvisualdimensionstosuchadegreethatsoundandlistening becomepartofspatialdesign.Auniqueexampleofintegratedspace,soundandlisteningisfoundinthework ofMaryanneAmacher,whosesitespecificinstallationsexplorethespacesthatintersectwhentheearmeets architecture.Worksarespecificallydesignedforparticularlocations,withsoundcharactersplacedprecisely, tocreateperceptualeffectsthatresultfromthecoincidenceofhearingandarchitecture.Byapsychoacoustic illusion,thelistenertoAmacherscomplex,highamplitudesoundscanencounterthesensationthattheirown earsareemittingsound.AstheintensesparkleofAmachersThirdEarmusic(asshecallsit)strikestheears, theresonantspacesofexternalandinternalarchitecturemeet. [within] a new email message has come in, providing an excuse for a brief escape. Renee, a fellow student on a distance learning course (a shared virtual space) suggests I might like a piece by Alvin Lucier that she has recently encountered for the first time on the web (a space that offers words and sounds). I smile, Listeningisrarelythesolitarymeansofmeasuringdimensionwhenthelightsareon.Electroacousticmusicis oftenperformedinadarkenedspace,projectedfromamassofloudspeakersarrayedaroundtheaudience. Changesinreverberation,amplitude,andfrequencyofsoundsnotonlycreatenewandarrestingtimbresbut
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manipulateeachlistenersperceptionoftheextentandnatureofthesurroundingenvironment.Avoice speakscloseup,whisperinginyourearandthenthesamevoiceissuddenlydistant,butshouting;sixinches fromyourfaceasheetofglasscrashesintoathousandinvisiblepieces,beforetricklingawayasamyriad tinklingbells.Andthisinamatterofafewseconds(amalleablespaceinperceptualterms). Itsnoaccident,Ithink,thatagreatdealofsoundartandelectroacousticmusicfeaturesthespeakingvoice, transformedinwaysthataffectthedramaturgyofthelisteningspace,andoftenthespeakingvoiceis articulatingmemories,orrememberedemotions,orinnerstatesthroughstories,poetictextsorimaginative prose.Thatis,itisanarrativevoice.Myanecdotalexperiencesuggeststhatthenumberofelectroacoustic concertworksthatexploitrecordingsofthesingingvoiceasmaterialisfarexceededbythosefeaturing speakingvoice,evenifthewordsspokenaredeliberatelyunintelligible.FrancisDhomont,PaulLansky,and TrevorWishartarejustsomeinfluentialestablishedvoicesthatcometomindhere,butofcoursethereare manymore,andmanyartistswithinsoundpoetryandperformancewhoseworktendstowards electroacousticconcerns(forexampleJaapBlonk,thelateHenriChopin,DavidMoss).Avoicecomesoutof thedarktospeakintothelistenersear,whetherwordsareintelligibleornot.Andwhenthebodilysourceis removedtheresultisunmediatedintimacy. WhileIcheckthroughthistextIreadinmyinternalvoice,andtheroomaroundmerecedesalittleinmy consciousness.Ofcourseourusualappreciationofthewiderenvironmentisoftenmetaphoricallydarkened tosomeextentbyotheractivitiesthatbecomethefocusofintent.Sometimesthefocusincludeslistening:the telephone,theconfessional,andthetoandfroofconversation.BillViolasTheThreshold(1992)doesoffer thepeculiarlypublicintimacyofthechurchconfessional,imitatingtheparadoxicalspatialarrangementofa privatespacenestedwithinthepublicbodyofthechurch.Theparticipantentersanenclosedroombuilt insideagalleryorpublicarea,ontheoutsideofwhichanelectronicdisplayscrollsnewsheadlinesconstantly. Insidethisenclosedspacethesounds,andsights,ofthenowexternalpublicarearecede.Blackandwhite footageofsleepingindividuals,hugelylargerthanlife,isprojectedoneachwall.Thesoundsoftheirbreathing formaquietaccompaniment.Sincesleepingpeoplearegenerallynotparticularlyactive,andtheroomis dimmed,visualpreoccupationgraduallyadjustsandrecedesandlisteningprogressivelyconsumesthespace, fillingitbrimfulwiththeintimacyofsleepathresholdbetweenconsciousandunconsciouspresence.So manyofViolasworksexplorepassingacrossthethresholdfromoneplacetoanother,mostoftenatsome levelbetweenlifeanddeath.Heretheviewer/listenersphysicalmovementfromonespacetoanother,and fromoneperceptualfocustoanother,formsanexplicitphysicalanalogy.Thebawlingworldoutside continues,butwhileinsidethisspacewithinaspacethereissometimelessbreathingroomanimmensity,it seems.
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[remember] remembering this work that I know and love, but havent listened to since well, for years (across a recollected space).

TolocalizeamemoryintimeismerelyamatterforthebiographerForaknowledgeof intimacy,localizationinthespacesofourintimacyismoreurgentthandeterminationof dates.(Bachelard,1958,p.9) Soforgetaboutthetime.Pickupthephoneandgivemeacall.Listen,yourequitesafenobodyelsecan hear.Itsgrowingdarkagain,anditsjustyouandme.Everybodysdoingit:thattraincarriageisfullofnoisy individualswhofeelthemselvestransportedtoaprivatespace.Soundinstallationsandperformancesthat incorporatemobilephonestendtoperformaselfreflexivecommentaryontheconstantringingthat accompaniesourdigitallyinfusedlives(atthetimeofwriting,findsomeat http://www.flong.com/texts/lists/mobile_phone/)butlessofteninvestigatethistrusting,overtlyemotional regionthatphonecommunicationcanaccessandwhichtelephonesalespeopleknowonlytoowell.Like thediaryorjournal,orthepersonalblog,ourphonecallsarepersonal,onetoone.Integratingphysical,social andindividualmentalspaces,andinaquitesurreptitiousmanner. MemoryMachine,aninstallationbycomposersCathyLaneandNyeParry,drawsonthisrelationship.Part installation,partoral(andaural)history,partcomposition,theworkinvitesparticipantstocontribute memoriesthroughspeakingintoa1950sstyletelephonehandset,infactadisguisedmicrophone.This inspiredchoiceoffauxretrotechnologyimmediatelyencouragesthoughtsofmemory,andalludestothe trustingintimacyofphoneconversation.Althoughtheresultantsoniccollagedoesnotissuefromthephone itselfornecessarilyrelatedirectlytothematerialjustrecorded,theparticipantisalreadyprimedtolisten.The auralresultsarenotsophisticated,andthisispartofthecharm:theprocessingtechniquesusedarerelatively simpleandthecollageislargelylayeredplaybackofrecordedmaterialbutitistheactofrememberingthat takesprecedence,andthementalspacesofpastandpresentcoexist,mergeandjostleonseverallevels. Nowthattherearemoreandmoretoolsforeasyarchivinganddocumentation,theworldischocfullof reminiscences,memoires,diariesandsoon,quiteofteninsonicform.Findingorrecordingmemoriesisnota problem.Butwhilecontentiseasytocreate,andlocate,theemotionsthatarisefromremembering feelingsarehardertoplace:theyareanepiphenomenonthatbleedsintothepresenttimeandspace.Asa hybridwork,partwaybetweenaestheticobjectandoralhistoryproject,TheMemoryMachine,goessome
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waytoexploringthisseeminglyintangibleplace,throughsound. A moment or two later she sends a video clip that shes just recorded a goofy hello from her home in the Netherlands. I laugh and start to type my reply. Before that we had only ever met occasionally by email, but now I actually see and hear her, sitting in her room. (and its touching).]

AsIfinishwritingthisIamattendingaconferenceatwhichagreatdealofelectroacousticandcomputer musichasbeenperformed.Atsomeconcertsthepieceswerepresentedoveranimpressivearrayofspatially distributedloudspeakers(distributedaroundanequallyimpressivearrayofcomputermusicpractitioners). Manycomposersnaturallytookadvantageofthisspatialluxury.Dynamicsonicgesturesejaculatedintothe darkenedauditorium,creatinganauralblazethatlitnewlyimpliedphysicalspaceswithdazzlingdisplaysof sonicpyrotechnics.Fewerpiecesusedthissamesophisticatedsurroundsoundtobuildtheimmersivespace of,say,aslowlyevolvingambience,acradling,orawomb.Publicfireworksruledtheday.Andyetinahidden corneroftheconference,inanother,verysmall,room,Iencounteredamostsensitiveuseofintimatespace, oneinwhichtomyearsandmindphysical,socialandmentalspacewereintertwinedtogreatmutual enlightenment.Piosai(Pieces)bysoundartistandcomposer,naMonaghanandsculptor,NirnNicAlastair consistsofseveralwaisthighpedestalsoneachofwhichstandsmallbronzesculpturesofroughlyhewn figures:adultsandchildren,folkmusicians,abstractfragments(somepicturesathttp://tinyurl.com/5vdafk). Handlingtheseunpretentious,intimatesculpturesbroughtsoundssuddenlyintobeing,assmallspherical speakerssittingbythesculpturesstartedtoplaysnatchesofrememberedhistory(thefamilyreminiscencesof Monaghansrelatives),Irishfolkmusic,andunobstrusivesynthesizedsoundscapes.Tentativeandgentle,the soundsweresometimesalmosttooquiettomakeout,andtheyfadedandstoppedwhenIletgoofthese smallbutresolutelymaterialrepresentations.InthismultisensorytouchingexperienceIhandledtheshards ofmemory,andalongwiththemanewawarenessoftheirfragility.Forafewminutestheselittleworlds occupiedmeentirelyintheirsmallambience,anddrewmeintoaspaceofmovingsounds. Suchencountersprovideremindersthateventhemostmundaneandnaveexperiencesarerepletewith meaningfulspaces.Toooftenthesehoverbehindtheobviousstory,likeagreyedoutsubtextthatremains unseen,orunheard.Butperhapsartoccasionallysucceedsintemporarilyreversingthisimpoverished situationsothattheordinarystoriesfadeandthespacesshinethrough,relegatingthemoreobvioustoa footnote,forawhile.i
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Bibliographyandfurtherreading Bachelard,G.(1994,firstpub.1958).ThePoeticsofSpace.Boston:BeaconBooks. Drobnick,J.(ed.)(2004).AuralCulture.Toronto:YYZBooks. Hull,J.(1992).TouchingtheRock:anExperienceofBlindness.NewYork:Vintage. Kahn,D.(2006)SoundArt,Art,Musichttp://www.uiowa.edu/~iareview/mainpages/new/feb06/kahn2.html alsoathttp://www.douglaskahn.com/writings/douglas_kahnsound_art.pdf(lastaccessed1Sep2008). Landy,L.(2007).UnderstandingtheArtofSoundOrganization.Boston:MITPress. Lane,C(2006).VoicesfromthePast:compositionalapproachestousingrecordedspeechinOrganisedSound 11(1).Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress. Labelle,B.(2006).BackgroundNoise:PerspectivesonSoundArt.London:Continuum. Lefebvre,H.(1991,originallypub.1974).TheProductionofSpace,D.NicholsonSmithtrans.,Oxford:Basil Blackwell. Lpez,F.(1997)Schizophoniavslobjetsonore:soundscapesandartisticfreedom (http://www.franciscolopez.net/schizo.html,accessed21August2008). Lpez,F.(2004)Againstthestage(http://www.franciscolopez.net/stage.html,accessed5September2008). Rudi,J.(2005).Fromamusicalpointofview,theworldismusicalatanygivenmoment:aninterviewwithBill FontanainOrganisedSound,10(2).Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress. Schafer,R.Murray(1stedition1977).TheTuningoftheWorld.NewYork:RandomHouse. iek,S.(1992).LookingAwry.Boston:MITPress. AtthetimeofwritingyoucanlistentoanextractofLuciersIamSittinginaRoomat http://ubu.artmob.ca/sound/source/LucierAlvin_Sitting.mp3.ThefullworkisavailableonCD.
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[So let me start the story here (a space present to each of us, in different ways) from a quite ordinary subject position (that is, the space I occupy). I am sitting in my room (an absent space, to you), trying to articulate my thoughts (a space where I exist) about sound, art, and the stories that spaces tell, can tell, or might tell. But its just not happening. My minds a blank (a space that appears to lack anything of especial interest). I blame this mental impasse (a seemingly untraversable space) partly on the plumber who is busy working in the bathroom next door and punctuating his hammering with out-of-tune arias. He is a nice plumber, with quite a nice voice, but he favours Elvis in alternation with Simon and Garfunkel. Its hopeless; his presence (an aurally defined space) defeats my attempts to plumb for ideas (one space obliterates the other). Admitting defeat, I depart for a walk in the drizzling rain (a transfigured space), first grabbing a couple of apples from our neighbours tree in case Meg the cart-horse is in her paddock (a space within a space). She is, and makes short and very resonant (inside her is a cavernous space) work of the apples before aggressively investigating my pocket for more (a hidden, possibly concealing, space). We stand, silent, either side of the fence that demarks our territories (together in a space defined by conventional boundaries) and we both, I presume, hear the wind in the trees and the cockerel that pipes up intermittently in the distance (relative spaces, the here and there). Eventually Meg walks away, bored with my fruitless company, and I stomp back towards the English village I now call home (a space in which to safely rest). Back at my front door (the transition from public to private space) I brace myself for further plumbing serenades. I must get on, theres no time to procrastinate (a temporary space). But wait, a new email message has come in, providing an excuse for a brief escape. Renee, a fellow student on a distance learning course (a shared virtual space) suggests I might like a piece by Alvin Lucier that she has recently encountered for the first time on the web (a space that offers words and sounds). I smile, remembering this work that I know and love, but havent listened to since well, for years (across a recollected space). A moment or two later she sends a video clip that shes just recorded a goofy hello from her home in the Netherlands. I laugh and start to
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type my reply. Before that we had only ever met occasionally by email, but now I actually see and hear her, sitting in her room. (and its touching).]

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