Mats Wendt
Mats Wendt (born in 1965) is a Swedish classical composer and artist. His best known work internationally is Eddan – the invincible sword of the elf-smith, a 16-hour-long "cybersymphonic" work on Norse mythology according to Viktor Rydberg. Five hours from Eddan was performed in Bayreuth 2003 during the annual Wagner festspiele,[1] in Wahnfried, Wagner's former home, now the Richard Wagner museum. The work was first performed in its entirety in Reykjavik in 2009.[2] Prior to Eddan, he's been inspired by works of writers like William Blake and T. S. Eliot.[3]
Wendt is also the originator of "cybersymphony",[4] a concept for transferring the symphony orchestra to computers and by this create a super instrument that is independent of development of hard and software. He's performed his work at the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology.[5]
Cybersymphony
The concept of Cybersymphony was created by Wendt in 1993 to build a foundation for symphonic music created by computers and synthesizers.
The "instrument" used to perform a cybersymphony consists of two things: the cybersymphonic law that defines what the instrument is, and any synthesizer that meets the requirements. This means that, in the absence of a physical instrument (and the small differences caused by the analogue), a consistently defined sound is available.
The Cybersymphonic Law summarised:
- All sounds must have a real counterpart (violin, oboe and so on, with the correct register span).
- All instruments must be played like the real counterpart (i.e.: technical limitations must be observed).
- All instruments or instrument sections must be located on separate midi channels
- No sampling of mixed sounds may occur.
- The Orchestral dynamic is created by the parts individual dynamics.
- No dynamic event may occur in the section sounds or instruments sounds
- Dynamic is formed by continuous volume and the keystroke
- The orchestral timbre is created through the sum of the sounding separate midi channels
Some works
- Cyborg Piano Concerto nr 1 (1981)
- The child and the soul of logic (1984)
- Three Psychological portraits (1989)
- Psychopath predominantly aggressive
- Schizophrenic reaction type catatonia
- Die grosse compressed crocodile symphony
- Urbana
- Voluspa
- Baltic ode (1990)
- Excalibur Piano Concerto nr 3 (1993)
- Tales from lord of the rings 1 (1993)
- Tales from lord of the rings 2 (1995)
- Symphony for a dead world (1994)
- The Insects Collection (1993–95)
- The Omega point theory (1994)
- The Marriage of heaven and hell (1996)
- The Millennium Symphony (1997)
- WasteLands (1997)
- Europe a prophecy (1998)
- Eddan — the invincible sword of the elf-smith (2008)
Sources
- STIM - the Swedish Performing Rights Society
References
- Redvall, Eva (19 July 2003). "Wagnerhändelse och dröm för svensk cybersymfoniker". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish).
- Betts, Jane (22 May 2009). "Tonsatt Edda uruppförs av Karlskronakompositör". Blekinge Läns Tidning (in Swedish).
- Andersson, Margareta (23 May 2009). "Mats Wendt uruppför cyber-Eddan". Sydsvenskan.
- "Cybersymfoniker uppträder i Lund". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). 16 April 2000.
- Betts, Jane (16 October 2000). "Wendt med orkester till Tekniska museet". Blekinge Läns Tidning.