homepage  back to the projects     overview page

deKunstClub.nl   -  zeelsterstraat 147  -  5652EE eindhoven.NL  email   -  tel. +31-(0)40-252 00 46 free entrance  -  open seven days a week from 10:00 to 22:00  -  for artists and visitors

project "the joys of SoundMusic"

Modern digital electronics and audio software offer possibilities that are new and exciting. Ideas that were impossible in former days can now be realised. In this part-project we investigate "virtual music" and in particular, "virtual duets". In other words, we create duets - two voices singing together - that are physically impossible. A simple example: a duet sung by two singers from totally different - non-overlapping - periods.

On this page, we present some results of our research in this field.

Vieni

The basic material we used here is an opera aria, taken from Giuseppe Verdi's Italian opera "Nabucco" (1842). The aria in question is "Vieni, o Levita" from Act 2. The singer is the Russian bass Evgeny Nesterenko (Евгений Нестеренко). The track was recorded in 1983 under the direction of Giuseppe Sinopoli.

We use this track with full respect for this great singer, for purely research purposes, without any ulterior commercial motive.

The virtual duet is sung by Nesterenko and Nesterenko. We combined the original track with the same track played backwards. The two tracks are gradually cross-fading from beginning to end. In the beginning we hear mainly the original track, running forward. Nearer to the end, we hear mainly the second track, running backwards. In the middle of the aria, the singer meets .... himself.

It is surprising how well an opera aria sung in Italian can be played backwards. We are not yet sure whether it is the Italian or the human voice which lends itself particularly well for these exploits. Naturally, the reversed text is unintelligible, but one clearly recognizes it as Italian opera ....

Casta Diva

In another experiment the basic material we used is an opera aria, taken from Vincenzo Bellini's Italian opera "Norma" (1831). The aria in question is "Casta diva" from Act 1. The singer is the Moldavian soprano Maria Bieshu (Мария Биешу). The track was recorded in 1986 under the direction of Mark Ermler.

We use this track with full respect for this great singer, for purely research purposes, without any ulterior commercial motive.

In these two experiments we hear Bieshu and Bieshu in a virtual duet.

In the first experiment, we combine the original track with the same track twenty seconds delayed. The exact time delay was determined experimentally to get the optimal duet-effect. One hears the singer responding to her own singing .... We added a bit of stereo effect to strengthen the impression of two singers on different sides of the stage.

In the second experiment, we combine the original track with the same track played backwards AND twenty seconds delayed. This became an unbelievable exciting aria. But listen and decide for yourself.

to the top of the page