The gamelan cows of Monte Grappa
Jan 21, 2021, 02:44 PM
Cows feeding on Monte Grappa reimagined by Cities and Memory.
Reimagining the sound of cow bells on Monte Grappa, we were drawn to how the sound was simultaneously melodic and chaotic, like a musical system alien to western ears being played out. That sense and the sonic quality of the cowbells brought to mind gamelan music, which was the inspiration for this piece.
The cowbells sounds were transposed to MIDI, which was then used to play a series of gamelan instruments, so the cows' feeding becomes musical notation for the piece. Blended in lower in the mix are some dreamy, effected versions of the original field recording, and a sung gamelan prayer takes centre stage. The whole piece becomes a gamelan prayer song transported to the mountains of northern Italy.
Reimagining the sound of cow bells on Monte Grappa, we were drawn to how the sound was simultaneously melodic and chaotic, like a musical system alien to western ears being played out. That sense and the sonic quality of the cowbells brought to mind gamelan music, which was the inspiration for this piece.
The cowbells sounds were transposed to MIDI, which was then used to play a series of gamelan instruments, so the cows' feeding becomes musical notation for the piece. Blended in lower in the mix are some dreamy, effected versions of the original field recording, and a sung gamelan prayer takes centre stage. The whole piece becomes a gamelan prayer song transported to the mountains of northern Italy.