Chronostasis Excerpt

An excerpt of the piece "Chronostasis" produced by Studio Akustische Kunst of WDR. First broadcast: 13 March 2009, on WDR 3. Awarded a Silver World Medal in the category „Best Sound“ and a finalist certificate in the category „Best Editing“ at New York Festivals Awards for Radio Programming & Promotion 2009 All tracks are available at Bandcamp. "The clock is one of the most important technical developments of humankind. Few other inventions have had such a shaping influence on our everyday life. The clock’s proverbial ticking is deeply ingrained in our consciousness. It marked time for industrialisation and scientific progress, as well as being the first mechanical musical instrument, preparing our rhythmic understanding for the machinelike precision of modern music. In chronostasis, the sound of time becomes audible via the many-voiced ticking of a whole array of antique clocks. The simplest rhythmic information, the pendular motion of a clock mechanism, gives rise to a complex tangle of overlapping patterns and pulses. For a moment, in the ritual of constant repetition, time seems to stand still. (The term ”chronostasis“ refers to a perceptual illusion that causes the second hand of a clock to appear to stand still for a moment. Apparently, when the gaze moves quickly to a clock face, the mind prolongs its perception of that initial moment beyond what is actually seen.)"