Weiss/Weisslich 31

Peter Ablinger:
Weiss/Weisslich 31 Membrane, Regen (1996)

31a: Regenunterstände auf öffentlichen Plätzen (1996)
31b: Schlagzeug, Regen (1999)
31c: Regenschirm (1999)
31d: Gläser, Regen (2002)
31e: konzertante Installation mit 8 Glasröhren (2002), ca. 18'
31f: Membrane, Tropfen (2019)

membranes, rain

31a: rain shelters in public places
31b: drum-set, rain
31c: umbrella
31d: glasses, rain
31e: concert installation with 8 glass tubes, ca. 18'
31f: membranes, dripping water

The versions Weiss/Weisslich 31a - 31d are outdoor pieces where different membranes are presented to the rain; while Weiss/Weisslich 31e is a solo concert piece with wet fabrics dripping on amplified glass tubes; and Weiss/Weisslich 31f is an open version for any number of performers with dripping water on any number of membranes.

Weiss/Weisslich 31a is the project of rain shelters in public places. The roofs of the shelters are of differently resonant materials.

Usually one shelter creates one pitch, and sequences of shelters produce melodies or tonal fields while you hop from one shelter to the other in order not to become too wet in between. But there exist also versions with encased metal roofs, producing different pitches, similar to steel drums.

Weiss/Weisslich 31b, drum-set, rain

can be seen also as a reference piece. But it is also possible to make a temporary installation: put a drum-set in the rain. (If you use a cheap drum-set with plastic skins, it will survive).

Weiss/Weisslich 31c, umbrella

this piece exists only in its title, and is dedicated to the rain, producing different pitches within the different segments of an opened umbrella - but also dedicated to Erik Satie who never left his home without an umbrella > more

Weiss/Weisslich 31d, glasses, rain

Glasses, as another kind of membrane, set in the rain. In one version from 2002 glascymbals (verrophone) were put into the rain and recorded on CD.

Weiss/Weisslich 31e, concert installation with 8 glass tubes, ca. 18'

Percussionist Berndt Thurner performing Weiss/Weisslich 31e in front of de Kooning paintings (BA-CA Kunstforum, Vienna, 2005). Near bottom: 8 amplified glass tubes. water-soaked pieces of fabric create a poly-metric structure dripping on the glass tubes.

> Partitur, deutsch
> score, english

2 audio samples with Adam Weisman performing at Museumsquartier Wien, 2004, Wolfgang Musil, Electracoustics and Recording:
> listen (31e, sample 1)
> listen (31e, sample 2)

Video with Adam Weisman performing at Architekturgalerie im Bunker München 2019, Video: Hans Gössing
> Video
> CD
> DVD
> LP

existing sets of glass tubes are - among others - owned by Chris und Gerald Schönfeldinger, Wörterberg; Berndt Thurner, Vienna; ensemble phace, Vienna; Lukas Schiske, Orth a.d.Donau; Kurt König, Berlin; Adam Weisman, Berlin

Weiss/Weisslich 31f, membranes, dripping water

for any number of performers with dripping water on any number of membranes;
amplified or not amplified;
any duration.

dripping bathrobes, Bergen, Grieg Hallen Foyer, as part of the piece REMOVE.TERMINATE.EXIT.

The rain has been an almost regularly recurring source of inspiration in Peter Ablinger's music. Here are a more rain pieces:

REGENSTÜCKE / RAINPIECES