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PROGRESSION
A symphony by Peter Wolf,
Linz (Austria), Sat. 4 September 1999 (audiences 120,000 people) |
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From the programme notes for PROGRESSION ...
"It is in the year 2000. Mankind has faced up to many challenges, but have we really progressed? Must progress always mean "higher, faster, further and more"? Against this questioning background, the Visual Klangwolke aims to present an evening rich in amazement and sensual stimulation.
Peter Wolf’s symphonic work does not rely solely on the traditional orchestration of a symphony orchestra, but combines with it elements of contemporary popular music. Between the movements, Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer reads prose composed for the occasion by Monika Helfer and Michael Köhlmeier.
International artists, including Cliff Richard, Coolio, James Ingram, Jennifer Page, Julian Rachlin, Michelle Wolf, Vincenzo La Scola, and Vienna Boys’ Choir member Alex Birnie appear as guest artists within the symphonic movements.
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Franz Seiser with Cliff Richard, who is visibly impressed by the technical installation.
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Peter Wolf, composer of "Progression", with his wife Michelle
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Program/Movements
- Introduction
- Der Wüstenmacher
- Molto Allegro
- Andante
- Wide Open Door
- Der Zaunzieher
- Scherzo
- Nothing Is Difficult
- Der Auseinandersetzer
- Andante Cantabile 1
- Allegro Vivace
- Andante Cantabile 2
- War Paint & Roses
- Der Bunte
- Gavotte
- Allegretto
- Gavotte-Reprise
- We Pretend
- Der Gottkenner
- Adagio
- Every New Day
- Adagio Reprise
- Der im Spiegel
- Largo-Maestoso
- Different Is Beautiful
- Von den Affen
- Cantate - End
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Design: Christian Weißkircher
Christian Weißkirchner first took up light as a mode of artistic expression in stage and interior design in 1987. Two years later, he co-founded the designer group LEX. His solo and collaborative portfolio includes lighting arrangements and visual concepts for musicals, theatres, dance productions and exhibitions both at home and abroad. |
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Newspaper article from the Austrian daily “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten“, by Reinhold Tauber (2 September 1999)
KLANGWOLKEN: Peter Wolfs "Progression" am Samstag im Linzer Donaupark. Klang-Erzählung mit 300.000 Watt. VON REINHOLD TAUBER
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Where does the mankind go or develop? This question tries to answer the Klangwolke-Symphony "progression", which will resound on Saturday of 21 to 22,22 o'clock over the "Donaupark" in Linz.
With the Symphony, composed by Peter Wolf, with texts of Monika Helfer and Michael Koehlmeier (Which will recited by Klaus Maria Brandauer on the top of the roof of the "Brucknerhaus"), played by the Bruckner-Orchestra, the prelude of the musical autumn in Linz begins.
The 21st Klangwolke, laid out for a spectator/listener quantity of well 100,000 humans. The center is an enormous stage, on which Artists of Cliff Richard to Jennifer Paige will produce themselves in live appearances.
The stage, resting on ship with 300 tons, of the Wallseer Shipping Company Brandner, is a special construction particularly planned and built just for this event, by Franz Seiser and his team. The stage has an extra area of 200 m². The scaffolding is 30 meters wide and 20 meters high, and on the top of this construction is a back-projection-screen with 8 m x 6 m. 8 cameras pursue the happening and the scenes will not be only visualiced on this large screens (concept Christian Weisskirchner), but also on 2 large video walls every 10 x 8 m, which limit the central distance of 300 meters, which make the scenes pursuable for the public far beyond that.
The side panels are made by special glass of Italy, which is heatproof and break-proof. 8 boards of 86 kg each weight protect the participants in such a way against wind and weather, so the headlight heat can't do them anything. |
Altogether 6800 individual parts were brought in 32 semis-trailer for 35 constructions for the visualized Klangwolke. 100 technicians and engineers convert the plan.
The highest "building site" is thereby on the roof of the "Lentia 2000" in Urfahr, on which will act the strongest laser of the company "Excalibur", which has a jet range of up to 8 km and so will be probably seen over the whole city of Linz. In addition color-lasers are assembled in Urfahr and on the stage.
Three 20 meters high high-voltage current masts do not mean a new line - they are an integral component of the happening and should symbolize a contentious family in the technical age.
Water and Fire: For pyrotechnic effects provides the company "Pyrovision", for example with new "banyan effects" and the Danube will be on fire for about one minute. The large conclusion fireworks will naturally also take place. And probably a torch course will taken place, where about 1000 residents of Linz will participate.
The Unicef, The Unicef, the child welfare organization of the UN, is the patron beyond the Klangwolke. The Klangwolke is sponsered by OMV and Telecom. |
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The sonic centrepiece of the 1999-Linzer Klangwolke is the open air stage: a 200m2 in area, 20m high and 30m wide steel construction, underpinned by 300 tonnes of floating supporting Brandner Schiffe pontoons. Two special 6x2m glass panels on each side protect the artists and the orchestra from side-winds. A 8x6m back-projection screen allows additional visual effects.
Effectively a grand theatre in miniature, the stage facilities include dressing rooms, a TV-lounge, bathrooms, etc. located underneath the stage itself. |
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