Robin Hoffmann | Birkhahn Studie (Mike Truesdell)

Birkhahn Studie by Robin Hoffman (robinhoffman.de)
performed by Mike Truesdell (www.miketruesdell.com)
Video by FourTen Media (fourtenmedia.net)
Clothing by NOT by Jenny Lai (notaligne.com)
Audio:
Tyler McDiarmid - Mastering
Rebecca Moore - Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer
Jenna Beaudoin - Recording Engineer
James Flanagan - Assistant Recording Engineer
Notes from the composer:
The black grouse-pipe is a small, metal pipe, which consists of a thin tube and a funnel. It is used by hunters to imitate the rustling of feathers characteristic for the black grouse. I discovered this instrument while on the search for devices with the ability to generate animal calls and sounds, with the intention of using them idiomatically in my piece was stimmt, which I composed in 2004 for the Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart. From all the hunting pipes that I utilized, the black grouse pipe presented itself clearly as the most attractive pipe to be used for a solo piece. Its piercing tone that could be described as rustling white noise, and the many possibilities in the realm of dynamics impelled me to write a short model-piece which moves within a limited but versatile stock of musical parameters. In the resulting sound, connections to an animal cry or sound seem to be maintained without any intentions on my part of imitating the black grouse, or any other animal. The rapid rhythmic rustling, whistling and hissing actions in prominent passages develop, uninterrupted, out of longer passages of white noise that are notated in seconds. This sound-mixture culminates in a Wolpertinger [jackalope] sound - a sound that is reminiscent of the peculiar customs of Bavarian hunters, who stuff their dead game and combine the stuffed animal parts to create fantastic beings, which they call Wolpertingers.
Frankfurt Main, April 12, 2005, Robin Hoffmann