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Thomas Köner : Le silence au fond de l’abîme
je ne veux rien – je ne peux rien
„Why am i doing this? What is the point?“ These questions have arisen since the days when I started making music on "instruments". I was playing violin in a youth orchestra at the age of 8, staring at the sweat stains under the conductor's armpits (he was always wearing tight white polyester polonecks), scared to play the wrong notes and eagerly trying not to loose track in those bleak scores, as a 2nd violin has nothing more to play than confusingly long notes and pauses. And the whole thing always sounded awful. I grew up under this impression, an impression that I found to be fuelled by the teachers at the Musikschule, who seemed to compensate for their depressing situation with aggression and a harsh tone. I do not know why I did not give up; maybe the world outside the Musikschule didn’t seem to be any more appealing than the one within, and still I loved the sound of things, even if our cat ran away in panic as soon as I approached my violin case. This is what made me become a composer.
le silence au fond de l’abîme
The music that would have pleased me was not there, so I started to look out for it: at the piano, in the stench of punk band rehearsal bunkers, on paper, in a free jazz big-band, under the lid of a X15 four-track tape recorder. By the age of 20 I found that I could write music that was exciting to me, and also to others, and I made my first performance in public at the Planetarium in Bochum. This is now 20 years ago and I’m still using (by means of sampling technique) “small sounds”, overheard sounds and also very silent sounds (by means of amplification) as source material. I like small things and I find it important to search for beauty in situations that are normally not considered as beautiful.
moulin à douleur
This is also true when I am working with images, creating audiovisual works, installations, videos. There are no rules for the relationship between image and sound. Two senses are addressed. The rest is convention and habit. I need to learn seeing and hearing in such a way that I can develop sensitivity. The special image / sound relationship that is not only forced by the industry, but also by many visual artists that use sound in their works is about amplification only. Sound has to amplify the image or the narration. As they cannot trust the power of their image (guess why!) they need more and more sound, electronic music, orchestras, sub-bass, 4, 5, meanwhile up to 8 channels are diffused. This is inflation and at its center is always a lack of trust and inherent quality. It is quite obvious that I am trying to work against inflation. This is why in each work I also address the attention span by allowing image and sound the space they deserve. By stretching the attention span I can afford to see and hear subtleties and details. Similar to physical muscle stretching, which beginners describe as painful, my works are sometimes described as boring. In the same way, this deep boredom can function as a door through which rooms are entered, rooms that are maybe rich of unseen and unheard experiences.
endurcir – adoucir
I spent many winters in the North where temperatures go down to as much as – 35C. This is a kind of dangerous temperature that sets the body into a state of heightened attention / awareness. The basic physics are different: in the silence out on the snow, every sound (a step, crackling of ice) is so precise and strong. One notices that every process is slowed down by the frost. I wish that there was more awareness involved, also if there is no physical frost. Experiencing time is the essence to me, and physical time and spiritual time seem to be very loosely connected. A whole afternoon may pass like nothing, but also there can be 5 minutes that seem to never end. I create artworks that rely on time for their physical appearance. If my piece technically lasts 10 minutes, but for someone it seems to last like half an hour – apart from the boredom that might be involved – what about the extra 20 minutes? I see it as a miracle, a gift within our concept of a world that is constantly loosing time. Experiencing patience would be the next step. My works are so simple and clear, but still access seems to be demanding. Probably because people got used to get many things presented in one fast shot. I would consider this a bad habit, and I try to work against it.
j’ai tout raté
My main job – as being as well as artist – is to try to overcome confusion. Confusion of mind, of sound, of image. Of course this is a very personal approach, and very likely it is a futile task. One would need to be a magician to succeed in such a task. When working, I try to be clear and honest about myself. I do not mean the artworks to be a medicine, as I do not think one can heal confusion: it has a billion faces.
chez moi c’est tout petit
Although I do create videos and CD I find it most challenging to perform my works myself doing performances. In a performance situation, an annoying and general attitude of entertainment is always more or less involved, and I find it satisfying to create vision and focus that stretches out beyond that. To me, such a presentation never is a preset situation. Each audience is different, and I try to be aware of the situation and create a space in which my time and work may connect to other peoples’ time: it is more like an invitation than an obligation – a guest may realise that this is not her/his party, and I am fine with that. It is indeed my party and it does not need to be a big or important party. This is why I don’t mind when people walk in or out, or talk or drink during my concerts. If there is content, it cannot really be destroyed. If there is no content, you cannot create it by shushing people, keeping the doors shut or make people close their eyes.
le perdant survivra
I do not agree with those who say that there is nothing new under the sun. Of course any territory can be charted, but it seems the further I go the vaster it gets, and I am still busy with the small things. I do not assume that my contributions are of use or value to anyone. As I said, it is a small party. Maybe in the meantime everyone has left, and I stand alone, recognising the void.
published: "KunstMusik" Schriften zur Musik als Kunst, Autumn 2005. ISSN 16126173
Thomas Köner : Le silence au fond de l’abîme
je ne veux rien – je ne peux rien
„Why am i doing this? What is the point?“ These questions have arisen since the days when I started making music on "instruments". I was playing violin in a youth orchestra at the age of 8, staring at the sweat stains under the conductor's armpits (he was always wearing tight white polyester polonecks), scared to play the wrong notes and eagerly trying not to loose track in those bleak scores, as a 2nd violin has nothing more to play than confusingly long notes and pauses. And the whole thing always sounded awful. I grew up under this impression, an impression that I found to be fuelled by the teachers at the Musikschule, who seemed to compensate for their depressing situation with aggression and a harsh tone. I do not know why I did not give up; maybe the world outside the Musikschule didn’t seem to be any more appealing than the one within, and still I loved the sound of things, even if our cat ran away in panic as soon as I approached my violin case. This is what made me become a composer.
le silence au fond de l’abîme
The music that would have pleased me was not there, so I started to look out for it: at the piano, in the stench of punk band rehearsal bunkers, on paper, in a free jazz big-band, under the lid of a X15 four-track tape recorder. By the age of 20 I found that I could write music that was exciting to me, and also to others, and I made my first performance in public at the Planetarium in Bochum. This is now 20 years ago and I’m still using (by means of sampling technique) “small sounds”, overheard sounds and also very silent sounds (by means of amplification) as source material. I like small things and I find it important to search for beauty in situations that are normally not considered as beautiful.
moulin à douleur
This is also true when I am working with images, creating audiovisual works, installations, videos. There are no rules for the relationship between image and sound. Two senses are addressed. The rest is convention and habit. I need to learn seeing and hearing in such a way that I can develop sensitivity. The special image / sound relationship that is not only forced by the industry, but also by many visual artists that use sound in their works is about amplification only. Sound has to amplify the image or the narration. As they cannot trust the power of their image (guess why!) they need more and more sound, electronic music, orchestras, sub-bass, 4, 5, meanwhile up to 8 channels are diffused. This is inflation and at its center is always a lack of trust and inherent quality. It is quite obvious that I am trying to work against inflation. This is why in each work I also address the attention span by allowing image and sound the space they deserve. By stretching the attention span I can afford to see and hear subtleties and details. Similar to physical muscle stretching, which beginners describe as painful, my works are sometimes described as boring. In the same way, this deep boredom can function as a door through which rooms are entered, rooms that are maybe rich of unseen and unheard experiences.
endurcir – adoucir
I spent many winters in the North where temperatures go down to as much as – 35C. This is a kind of dangerous temperature that sets the body into a state of heightened attention / awareness. The basic physics are different: in the silence out on the snow, every sound (a step, crackling of ice) is so precise and strong. One notices that every process is slowed down by the frost. I wish that there was more awareness involved, also if there is no physical frost. Experiencing time is the essence to me, and physical time and spiritual time seem to be very loosely connected. A whole afternoon may pass like nothing, but also there can be 5 minutes that seem to never end. I create artworks that rely on time for their physical appearance. If my piece technically lasts 10 minutes, but for someone it seems to last like half an hour – apart from the boredom that might be involved – what about the extra 20 minutes? I see it as a miracle, a gift within our concept of a world that is constantly loosing time. Experiencing patience would be the next step. My works are so simple and clear, but still access seems to be demanding. Probably because people got used to get many things presented in one fast shot. I would consider this a bad habit, and I try to work against it.
j’ai tout raté
My main job – as being as well as artist – is to try to overcome confusion. Confusion of mind, of sound, of image. Of course this is a very personal approach, and very likely it is a futile task. One would need to be a magician to succeed in such a task. When working, I try to be clear and honest about myself. I do not mean the artworks to be a medicine, as I do not think one can heal confusion: it has a billion faces.
chez moi c’est tout petit
Although I do create videos and CD I find it most challenging to perform my works myself doing performances. In a performance situation, an annoying and general attitude of entertainment is always more or less involved, and I find it satisfying to create vision and focus that stretches out beyond that. To me, such a presentation never is a preset situation. Each audience is different, and I try to be aware of the situation and create a space in which my time and work may connect to other peoples’ time: it is more like an invitation than an obligation – a guest may realise that this is not her/his party, and I am fine with that. It is indeed my party and it does not need to be a big or important party. This is why I don’t mind when people walk in or out, or talk or drink during my concerts. If there is content, it cannot really be destroyed. If there is no content, you cannot create it by shushing people, keeping the doors shut or make people close their eyes.
le perdant survivra
I do not agree with those who say that there is nothing new under the sun. Of course any territory can be charted, but it seems the further I go the vaster it gets, and I am still busy with the small things. I do not assume that my contributions are of use or value to anyone. As I said, it is a small party. Maybe in the meantime everyone has left, and I stand alone, recognising the void.
published: "KunstMusik" Schriften zur Musik als Kunst, Autumn 2005. ISSN 16126173
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