Das Flüstern der Bäume in Wien

(The whispering of the trees in Vienna)

Ongoing series Four Duets

The Whispering of the Trees in Vienna are site-specific compositions. For each tree I selected an instrument and for three compositions I collaborated with a musician. Fitting the circumstances I developed various approaches with the respective artist by investi- gating the specific sound of each tree, their surroundings, the history, the cultural tale as well as the aura of the place. The series was created in the following constellations while each duet consists of a certain tree and the regarding musician

N°1 A cherry tree on the man-made nature reserve on the Danube Island Nava Hemyari (Voice)

N°2 The Caucasian wingnut in the heart of Vienna‘s inner city Vincent Singer (Cello)

N°3 A beech tree with a view of Vienna in Hernals, Neuwaldegg Frederic Stritter (Synthesizer)

N°4 A 196 years old gray poplar Nina Bauer (Gitarre)

A print of the tree bark serves as a graphic notation. It is played with processed sounds of the tree and sung live by Nava Hemyari during the performance. The actual shape of the Caucasian wingnut in the city park serves as inspiration for the com- position of the duet with cellist Vincent Singer. For the beech tree in Neuwaldegg, the sounds of the tree were imitated with synthesizers. The composition of the poplar was based on the history and the fact of deforestation as well as an inspiration for a melody resulting in playing this melody on a guitar and slowly sawing it apart meanwhile. In Vienna, there are more than 5 trees for every inhabitant. With this work their presence in the city as silent witnesses is broken. Just because we don‘t listen to them does not mean they are silent. The impressions, drawings and the sound material of the respective tree serves as the founda- tion for the compositions of each duet. These approaches are supplemented by the respective musician.

I am pleased that the graphic notation of the cherry tree was interpreted by the Punctum Col- lective. (https://punctum-collective.art/)

• Vocals: Nava Hemyari
• Nina Bauer: Gitarre
• Cello: Vinzent Singer
• Synthesizer: Frederic Stritter

Gefördert von der Stadt Wien Kultur.