The Harmonic Canon (feat. Arx Duo)

Music, sound art and public sculpture meld together with the LP launch of The Harmonic Canon, Dominic Murcott's British Composer Award winning composition featuring one half-tonne double bell, an array of unusual metal percussion and two virtuosic percussionists.

Watch The Harmonic Canon in action: dominicmurcott.com/harmoniccanon

Listen to the album: https://soundcloud.com/nonclassical/sets/dominic-murcott-the-harmonic-canon/s-3HbYH

Created in collaboration with sculptor Marcus Vergette, The Harmonic Canon is both the name of the piece and the double bell that was custom-made for it. Comprising of two bells tuned a semitone apart, the bell was created using Finite Element Analysis, a type of structural analysis that determines the vibration patterns of the bell, manipulating its harmonic series to create a complex series of frequencies that make up a note. The result is a sound world that straddles consonance and dissonance, murky and clear, pure and distorted. Parts of the bells are in tune with each other, while others are out of tune, creating a unique 'beating' between the bells. Oh – and did we mention it spins?

'I came up with the idea of a series of 21-minute pieces in conversation with Gabriel Prokofiev,' says Dominic. 'The perfect length for one side of vinyl, it is also a message of intent and a gentle demand for the track-skipping listener.'

Part One is made up of rapid, high energy, virtuosic passages, articulated with the ominous striking of the bell while the second part contrasts with a single resonant tone that evolves and shifts over time. This is part of nonclassical's 21 Minutes series, a new project commissioning 21-minute pieces.