Culture: Art: Theatre: Musical
Fast Frozen Music   (+8)  [vote for, against]
On a semiautomatic icicle organ

On the drawing board of my dreams, an image of a large wagon on wooden spoked wheels materializes. At one end sits a man in colorful silk garments, pedaling energetically and holding a small silver hammer in each hand. The organ wagon stands in a city park in front of an audience of expectant children icicle%20notes and grownups.

The pedals drive a horizontal wire that moves in an endless loop towards the man. Below the wire billows the misty surface of a vat of liquid nitrogen. Above is a long row of brass faucets that drip onto the wire intermittently, controlled by metal arms that minutely adjust the faucet levers.

Each drop hitting the wire quickly freezes there to move forward and receive an additional drop or not from the next faucet. The predetermined quantity of water at each point soon creates a procession of icicles of various lengths approaching the end of the wagon.

When the first icicle reaches the man, he splinters it with a tap of a hammer. The long icicle shatters as a clear B, picked up by a microphone and amplified to the crowd. The icicle column that follows is swiftly smashed one by one to produce the crisp notes of "Danny Boy".

The melody ends to spectators’ cheers while the man prepares pulley-conveyed strings to lead a small puppet out onto the now stationary, tight wire. In tutu and cloth slippers the wooden doll balances above the perilous, frigid fog with an umbrella that also shields her from occasional drops.

With the girl safely on the other side, the puppeteer takes a slight bow before changing gears, pedaling with renewed energy and readying his hammers for a chilly Chopin’s "Nocturne" op.9 no.2.
-- FarmerJohn, Mar 19 2005

Fast Frozen Music [FarmerJohn, Mar 20 2005]

'magic' to the ears, I'd say, and how are you going to produce those runs w/ 32nd notes in the Nocturne ?but + for the drawing board of your dreams.
-- dentworth, Mar 19 2005


I like the way you think [farmerjohn]. You take tiny little things and images and hook them up as little gems. Your brain is like a puzzle machine. Big + on this one yet again.
-- zeno, Mar 19 2005


Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical Science in the home Late nights all alone with a test-tube
Ohh-oh-oh-oh...
Maxwell Edison majoring in medicine
Calls her on the phone
"Can I take you out to the pictures
Joa-oa-oa-oan?"
But as she's getting ready to go
A knock comes on the door...
-- po, Mar 19 2005


[FJ] your ideas bring light and laughter to the world. Their beauty consistently brings a smile to my face and stuns me with their poetry. +
-- scubadooper, Mar 19 2005


wow... that's one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. if you could come up with a picture, I would frame it and put it on my wall.
-- spacecadet, Mar 20 2005



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