Pythagoras' Lectures

Acousmatic Documentary Ballet

We find ourselves in one of Pythagoras' classes. He hides behind a thick and absorbing curtain and gives us several sound examples to listen to, in order to demonstrate his most recent findings. Meanwhile, visual pirouettes are projected onto the acousmatic veil to distract (or perhaps instruct) his disciples.

Trond Reinholdtsen appears as Pythagoras. Music, choreography, programming and prepared piano (recorded in december 1998) by the composer. Pythagoras' lectures, a commission from NICEM, was realized at NoTAM in 2002. The music alone was presented in Bourges in june 2002, and the video had its world premiere in Oslo, 11 May 2003.

Technical Remarks

The animation part of Leçons de Pythagore was programmed in C++ with OpenGL. Meanwhile, musical fragments were put together in a separate process. It wasn't until the animation and the music were both completed, that they were multiplexed into one single video file. No more editing was made at this point, so the synchronization of sound and picture was painstakingly planned in advance, with an exception of a few things that were not planned, but left to pure coincidence.

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Leçons de Pythagore

Ballet Acousmatique Documentaire

On se trouve dans une classe de Pythagore, qui se cache derrière un rideau épais et absorbant. Il nous donne plusieurs examples sonores à écouter pour illustrer ses trouvailles plus récentes. En même temps des pirouettes visuelles sont projetées sur le voile acousmatique pour distraire (ou peut-être instruire) les disciples.

Trond Reinholdtsen apparait dans le rôle de Pythagore. Musique, choreographie, programmation et piano préparé (enregistré en décembre 1998) par le compositeur. Leçons de Pythagore, commissionné par NICEM, est réalisé à NoTAM en 2002.