B R I D G E S O U N D I N G

An environmental performance piece

Site specific to the Shanks Millennium Bridge

For images click here

At North Bank,Whittlesey
Near Peterborough UK

I was struck by the delightful proportions of the Millennium Bridge,built as part of a cycle path which circles Peterborough, while making passing journeys by car. It seems to be equally lovely as you look up-river against a setting sun or against a grey sky. I felt I wanted to do something to enhance this bridge musically. Stories had reached me that the bridge ‘sings’when the wind blows through its railings and that,at certain times,there is a further bridging pipe structure up-river on a sewerage farm in nearby Fengate which may also be heard.

Local city cabinet councillor,Geoff Ridgway, had been involved with my music before and he facetiously suggested I should claim the bridge as my own music. It is interesting sometimes how a light-hearted remark may stimulate a serious creative response.

In the summer of 2002 I made a few journeys to the bridge,sometimes in company with Roger Stimson,the violinist in the forthcoming performance,in order to listen to the bridge in the wind and when people walk or cycle across it.

The bridge is made out of recycled metals and the railings sound hollow; I started imagining pipe organ sounds as being near to the hollowness of the bridge but I wanted another unusual sound to compliment these. In previous years I had accompanied Roger on a pipe organ rehearsing conventional Balkan folk music. The combination sounded promising.

Bridge Sounding looks to develop the sounds of the bridge through a composer’s creativity.

The work is in two Phases. Each Phase is about twelve minutes in duration and Phase 1 is intended to be played on a summer’s evening. Phase 2 is to be performed in late autumn,close to sunset. The predominantly quiet sounds of each phase float above the sounds the bridge makes naturally when it is used but then may be seen conceptually as continuing to be part of the bridge a long time after being heard physically. The purpose of Phase 2 is to continue the music so that these sounds become amplified and heard physically again in order to continue again mentally afterwards,for as long as the bridge stands.

The music begins with the organ ( in this performance an electronic keyboard ) playing very quiet, low, staccatissimo notes as a long sequence moving ever higher. At the same time two cyclists cross the bridge ‘stirring’ the natural sound elements of the structure. They reach the other side a ring their bells in a brief,signal-like rhythm. They eventually return. Brief,signal-like sounds are also embedded in the organ and violin parts throughout. These serve to improve our alertness as hearer. After a while,a second sequence of music is introduced adding the violin solo. These sequences use the Forcefield technique I have developed ( click ‘Music Beyond Silence’ ). A shorter section follows which employs material whichy much of the time hints at the previous Forcefield sequences but which is different from it. This section is concerned with the mental amplification for the hearer of the previous music.

Phase 2 continues the sequential material as if to say that the music continues forward,emanating from the bridge,whether it is physically there or not.

Stan Hansel- June 2004

BRIDGE SOUNDING:

Phase 1 will be performed on July 2nd at about 7.30pm.

Phase 2 will be performed in the autumn and the date will be announced in due course.
The performers will be Roger Stimson ( violin ) and Stan Hansel ( electronic keyboard )
Sound system management: Violet Ansell
Covered setting:John Mullins

Phase 2 (2002 revised 2004) is now complete. Further texts and images regarding the performance are available here.