Luigi Russolo's 'The Art of Noises'

The Art of Noise (futurist manifesto, 1913)

by Luigi Russolo translated by Robert Filliou

1967 A Great Bear Pamphlet

ubuclassics 2004 THE ART OF NOISE

LUIGI RUSSOLO

ubuclassics 2004 ubuclassics ubu.com 3 classics The Art of Noise Luigi Russolo Else Press. Something by Bear Pamphlet in 1967 as a Great Originally published ubu www.ubu.com Series Editor: Tencer Michael

The Art of Noise (translated from L’arte dei Rumori)

My dear Balilla Pratella great futurist musician, On March 9, 1913, during our bloody victory over four thousand passé-ists in the Costanzi Theater of Rome, we were fist-and-cane-fighting in defense of your Futurist Music, performed by a powerful orchestra, when suddenly my intuitive mind conceived a new art that only your genius can create: the Art of Noises, logical con- sequence of your marvelous innovations. In antiquity, life was nothing but silence. Noise was really not born before the 19th century, with the advent of machinery. Today noise reigns supreme over human sensibility. For several centuries, life went on silently, or mutedly. The loudest noises were neither intense, nor prolonged nor varied. In fact, nature is normally silent, except for storms, hurricanes, avalanches, cascades and some exceptional telluric movements. This is why man was thoroughly amazed by the first sounds he obtained out of a hole in reeds or a stretched string.

4 ubuclassics ubu.com usic. y m sharing in human contemporar 5 5 ted dissonances of noise-sound. This revolution of revolution noise-sound. This is music ferent sounds, intent upon caressing the ear with suave harmonies. the ear with suave intent upon caressing sounds, ferent sistent and complica ted dif st of the soft and limpid purity of art looked for all, musical sound. Then Primitive people attributed to sound a divine origin. It became surrounded a divine origin. It to sound people attributed Primitive Fir To excite our sensibility, music has developed into a search for a more com- a more for into a search has developed music our sensibility, excite To ama the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise Nowadays musical art aims at the shrilliest, strangest and most dissonant amalgams of art aims at musical Nowadays approaching sound. Thus are we paralleled by the increasing proliferation of proliferation the increasing paralleled by machinery with religious respect, and reserved for the priests, who thereby enriched their rites enriched thereby who the priests, for and reserved respect, with religious the conception of Thus was developed with a new mystery. sound as something apart, and independent of from different of The result life. a fantastic world was music, this atmosphere This hieratic world. and sacred an inviolable reality, superimposed upon of the progress down was bound to slow ahead and forged so the other arts music, determined theory mathematically with their musical by it. The Greeks, bypassed have admitted, were only some consonant intervals to which according Pythagoras, limited the domain of the harmony and made almost impossible they until now music the development through did progress Ages music In the Middle of. unaware were ofand modifications system. But people kept considering sound tetracord the Greek find still conception we so persistent a narrow that time, through only in its unfolding polyphonies of complex it in the very the Flemish did not yet The composers. chord of the development exist; that to the chord parts was not subordinated the different together; the conception ofthese parts could produce but these parts was not vertical, union of the simultaneous for and the search The need for horizontal. merely differ- of is to say ent sounds (that came gradually: the assonant com- chord), the its complex, to end with some random dissonances, enriched chords by was followed mon chord up with the per it amalg plex polyphony and a greater variety of variety and a greater polyphony plex It has tried instrumental tones and coloring. succession ofto obtain the most complex thus preparing the ground dissonant chords, labor. In the pounding atmosphere of In the pounding atmosphere labor. as in the formerly silent coun- cities as well great of number a large such today create machines tryside, sound, pure that noises varied emotion. any fails to arouse now with its littleness and its monotony,

ubuclassics ubu.com gy a that or anemic ener . om familiarity, and om familiarity, tion of usic maniacs jump in these hospitals f tmosphere oftmosphere Shall concert halls. mous mobiliza edom stemming fr 6 6 orld than twenty men slaving to increase the to increase men slaving than twenty orld s go inside one of his plain talk will make all m ee sorts of the extraor- and keep waiting for boredom le to consider the enor o or thr the boredom that will drip from the next bar. In this fashion bar. the next will drip from that the boredom violins? T esents without concluding that the acoustic results are pitiful. Is are the acoustic results esents without concluding that e ridiculous in the w pr . st bar is dripping with bor e them together? Let’ dly possib h will stir up a bit the somnolent a wing of etaste of . We must break at all cost from this restrictive circle of circle this restrictive at all cost from break must We pure hic or , the fir hestra r c , w , thing mor Each sound carries with it a nucleus of sound carriesEach with it a nucleus sensations and foregone foreknown It is har ts y om bar to bar tw e meeo This is why we get infinitely more pleasure imagining combina- pleasure infinitely more get we is why This . See ou a f n or e an Musical Noise Musical es y e visit one of e sip fr tions of the sounds of and loud autos and other vehicles, trolleys, or pastoral to the heroic for instance, than listening once more, crowds, symphonies This evolution toward noise-sound is only possible today. Theear of today. possible noise-sound is only toward This evolution an eighteenth intensity of withstood the discordant could have century man never some of the performers (whose as numerous); times three are our orchestras by produced chords all in rich to modern attuned are life, they for in it, our earson the other hand rejoice sorts of keep bigger acoustic asking for being satisfied, ears But our far from noises. and the quality of in the variety sound is too restricted musical However, sensations. of categories or five to four can be reduced orchestra The most complicated its tones. string pinched string instruments, sound tones: rubbed instruments with different and percussion wind instruments, wooden metallic wind instruments, instruments, a new vari- tries to create and vainly time in this small circle Music marks instruments. ety of tones. plaintiv their sea giv predisposing the auditor to boredom, in spite of the auditor to boredom, predisposing of all the efforts com- innovating All ofposers. the harmonies of liked and enjoyed have us years, For masters. the great fed up with are we Now deliciously shaken our hearts. have and Wagner Beethoven them. sounds and conquer the infinite variety ofsounds and conquer the infinite noise-sounds for for the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise ther moder w sounds w

ubuclassics ubu.com pis- POUAH! trolleys on their rails, the their rails, on trolleys , the rising and falling of -width 50 square kilo- -width 50 square 7 7 , the loud jumping of ws vious animal spirits TAMTOUMBS hanical sa es’ sliding doors, the hubbub of the hubbub es’ sliding doors, roars the different the crowds, Immediately echoes, echoes, echoes, all echoes-quick! all echoes-quick! echoes, echoes, echoes, Immediately thing with ob mec ea whips, the whipping of the whipping whips, fun imagining our orchestra- will have We flags. partment stor engines br meters-leap 2 3 6 8 splinters-fisticuffs-headrammings-rapid fire take-it-crumble it-spread it-infinite distance to hell. In the center, it-infinite distance to hell. In the center, it-spread take-it-crumble center of these flattened Tamtoumb! Some will object that noise is necessarily unpleasant to the ear. The objection is necessarily unpleasant to the ear. noise Some will object that modern a great atten- walk together through capital, with the ear more Let’s 1 2 3 4 5 seconds the siege canons gut the silence by a chord- 1 2 3 4 5 seconds the siege canons gut the silence by de y sensation that will never materialize. Meanwhile we witness the brewing of witness the brewing we Meanwhile materialize. never will that y sensation a , the stridency of the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise tons is futile, and I don’t intend to refute it, to enumerate all the delicate noises that give noises that all the delicate it, to enumerate intend to refute and I don’t is futile, of you convince To pleasant sensations. the surprising of variety will mention I noises, starts and the away, a horse trotting leaves, streams, rivers, wind, cascades, thunder, jumps of of solemn breathing the white a carriage on the pavement, night, a city at mouth can those man’s feline and domestic animals and all all the noises made by make without talking or singing. of the pleasures will vary and we than the eye, tive distinguishing our sensibilities by ofamong the gurglings and rat- rumblings the air and gas inside metallic pipes, water, tlings of Let’s get out quickly, for I can’t repress much longer the intense desire to create a true to create desire longer the intense much repress I can’t for get out quickly, Let’s big loud slaps right and left, stepping and push- distributing finally by reality musical go out! bassoons and moaning organs! Let’s violins and pianos, ing over dinar of composed mixture heartrending of the monotony and the stupid the sensations of swooning and religious the thousandth for drunk on experiencing the audience, ecstasy. with elegant and fashionable Bhuddist patience, with almost time, of plants and power printing houses, mills, textile foundries, iron stations, railroad noises of new the very not forget must And we subways. The poet Modern Warfare. of the Bulgarian trenches Marinetti, in a letter from to me as Ariadnople described of the orchestra style, in his new futurist follows, battle: a great snapping of tion of

ubuclassics ubu.com hestra very- c hos in this ec juggling -pam-pam-pam reenness cip- reenness flames flames flames flames from crawl s they bent beaten bent beaten s they odopes 1st and 2d BOUM lutes clarinets pipes e ofessor titude shade g 8 8 ungia R POUMTOUMB t fracas far from erasing drink t fracas far from ecise them out of their echoing ea hestra pr c es dong-dong-dong-ding-bééé Or otting gongs f s sitting villages standing mounts recog- er , ferocity, regularity, pendulum game, fatality- game, pendulum regularity, , ferocity, ds twitter bea ying Gr ds pastur omit them pr roundfloor boxes 2,000 shrapnels gesticulation shrapnels gesticulation 2,000 roundfloor boxes p hitting or v wn bir ying riv e ying pla la Violence wing-echoes odor-hay-mud-manure I can’t feel my feel my I can’t odor-hay-mud-manure wing-echoes gias g lo rave bass apparent slowness-scan the strange madmen the strange madmen slowness-scan apparent bass rave e up do ter of en feet stale odor r ying pla ed in the audience Maritza T z y noises r ws log her o oles b o w cip ip-zzip her fr forts over there Choukri Pacha telephone orders to 27 forts telephone to 27 forts orders Choukri Pacha there over forts Germanin turkish hello Ibrahim! Rudolf actors hello! hello! r here there there farther all around very high look-out god- high very farther all around there there here flames marvelous! flamesdamnit on the head chaak flames Madmen kee batteries batteries clowns’ jump in full sky height 200 meters it’s the gunshoot- the jump in full sky height 200 meters it’s clowns’ of guffaws ing Downwards chariots swamps laughter buffalos stings prancing of flue horses ammunition-wagons flaczang manes- bespatterings patatraak pirouettes rearings chaak chaak batallions bulgarian tinklings three neighings i i i i i i i medley Choumi Maritza bar slowly) craak (double crook- on the move officers’ knocking against shouts copper plates o Karvavena there pam ici (vite) pac over other each this g altos of agitated mad mad mad-very young-very very the battle ears My earsFury open nasals! beware! anguish breathless ear scent drink people to sense see o my is yours joy such the machine- taratatatatata everything everything everything under a thousand bites slaps traaktraak guns shouting twisting pic pac cudgellings whippings pla tin mouth wide open diameter 1 kilometer Debris of thea niz r the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise

ubuclassics ubu.com the The wn of wing do ZANG- The existence ofThe existence this predomi- ough the speeding up or slo 9 9 hite handkerchiefs full ofhite handkerchiefs gold toumb- w y manifestation ofy manifestation Noise is familiar to us. our life. er Not that we want to destroy the movements and irreg- the movements want to destroy we Not that v war noises orchestra blown beneath a note beneath blown war noises orchestra zang-toumb xplosion toumb clouds-gallery 2,000 grenades Quick thundering applause hairs black very enthusiasm pulling hair quick such of golden balloon controlling silence hanging in full sky captive the fire. TOUMB-TOUMB Each noise possesses a pitch, at times even a chord dominating a chord times even Each noise possesses a pitch, at e harmonically rhythmically and and regulate score want to We Noise accompanies e Although the characteristic ofAlthough the characteristic noise is to brutally bring us back to life, ement. v the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise ular vibrations (ofular vibrations intensity) of tempo and wish simply to fix the these noises! We ofdegree or pitch other sound in its as noise differs vibration, from the predominant (in terms confuse vibrations and irregular of tempo and intensity). over the whole of the whole over vibrations. these irregular these most varied noises. the mo nant pitch offers means ofnant pitch us the technical to give is to say that these noises, scoring ofto a noise a certain variety and characterizes that without losing the timbre pitches us a can give movement a rotating through distinguishes it. Certain noises obtained thr complete ascending or descending scale art ofart reproduction. imitative not be limited to a mere noises must Noise has the power to bring us back to life. On the other hand, sound, foreign to life, On the other hand, sound, foreign to bring us back to life. Noise has the power has come to strike our ears an occasional element, no outside thing, a musical, always and irregu- gushing confusely Noise, familiar face does our eye. than an overly more out oflarly sur- innumerable to us and it keeps in store revealed totally is never life, all noises we in selecting and coordinating feel certain that our benefit. We prises for did not suspect. they men with a voluptuousness will enrich art of that the special acoustic pleasure from power its main emotive noises will extract

ubuclassics ubu.com - edom pr , haracteristic fundamental noises: the y rhythms are equally perceptible. are y rhythms oices: eams , sobs , scr 10 10 tions of of movements them. The rhythmic a ttlings e secondar , ra , moans tegories the most c h mor hic xists not only a predominant pitch, but as well a as well but pitch, xists not only a predominant e e e than combina her ound w . T ar dly mor e har e noises using animal and human v ood, skin, shouts e infinite e included in these 6 ca v s ar , baked earth, etc. laughter or the futurist orchestra that we intend soon to realize mechanically: soon to realize intend we that orchestra or the futurist cussiv e ha 5 6 3 4 1 2 1 other per whispers shrill sounds whispers shrill sounds cracks mutterings rustlings buzzings grumbles jingles grunts shuffles gurgles metal, w roars whistles roars claps snores noises of snorts falling water driving noises bellows the inspired artist will obtain in combining noises. Here are the six categories of the six categories are Here noises. will obtain in combining artist the inspired noises f the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise stone W noise ar inant rhythm

ubuclassics ubu.com e but, rather, increase its range. increase rather, e but, 11 11 haracteristic timbr ficulties presented by the construction of by ficulties presented these instruments , half-pitches and quarter-pitches. This of variety and quarter-pitches. , half-pitches will pitches its c hes pitc hnical dif h noise of he tec ariety of e eac 6 - This new orchestra will produce the most complex and newest sonic emotions, and newest the most complex will produce 6 - This new orchestra 5 - T 1 - We must enlarge and enrich more and more the domain of the domain and more more and enrich enlarge must 1 - We sounds. musical of the limited variety replace must 2 - We of timbres the instruments by orchestral once he is rid of sensibility, 3 - The musician’s will find traditional rhythms, facile, basic pitch. a predominant noise possesses among its irregular vibrations 4 - Each priv y wide v er the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise are not grave. As soon as we will have found the mechanical principle which produces a produces principle which the mechanical found will have As soon as we not grave. are of to the laws according to graduate its pitch be able will we certain noise, For acoustics. ifinstance, it will speed it up or slow we movement, a rotating the instrument employs the size or decrease will increase instrument we When not dealing with a rotating down. or the tension of the sound-making parts. a succession ofnot through a fantas- through rather but life, noises reproducing imitative oftic association make possi- instrument must every this reason, For sounds. these varied of the changing ble or other exten- or smaller resonator larger a built-in, through pitches not de Our sensibility requires it. In fact it can be noticed that all contemporary composers be noticed that it. In fact it can of Our sensibility requires sound, they pure from away Moving dissonances. most complex the genius tend to stress only through noise-sound. This and this tendency can be totally realized need reach nearly ofthe joining and substituting sounds. musical for noises to and ofinfinite variety of timbres special mechanisms. noises obtained through in the domain of noises the means of each an easy task, since and renewal, development noise offers us the union of as its dominant one. as well rhythms the most diverse this sound, instruments meant to produce building This it easy to obtain, while will make a v Conclusions:

ubuclassics ubu.com ofoundly loved ofoundly e no acoustic prefer- v t I ha ojects on a pr one day we will be able to be able will we one day ho pr usician, so tha ent incompetence, knowing that audacity that knowing ent incompetence, 12 y appar . I am not a m eoccupied with m enew everything. This is why, bolder than the bolder professional musi- than the bolder professional bolder This is why, enew everything. ks to defend. I am a futurist painter w or Luigi Russolo Painter My dear Pratella, I submit to your futurist genius these new ideas, and I invite futurist genius these new ideas, I submit to your My dear Pratella, 8 - We invite all the truly gifted and bold young musicians to analyze all nois- to analyze musicians all the truly gifted and bold young invite 8 - We 7 - The variety of7 - The variety a over possess nowadays certainly We noises is infinite. , nor w ou to discuss them with me the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise Milano, March 11, 1913. March Milano, ofDirection 61, Milano. Corso Venezia, the futurist movement: gives all prerogatives and all possibilities, I have conceived the renovation of the renovation conceived I have and all possibilities, all prerogatives gives music the Art ofthrough Noise. distinguish among ten, twenty or thirty thousand different noises. We different thousand noises. or thirty ten, twenty distinguish among rather to combine them accord- these noises but to imitate will not have fantasy. ing to our artistic ences art his will to r cian, totally unpr y es so as to understand their different composing rhythms, their main and their sec- es so as to understand composing rhythms, their different how will realize Comparing these noise sounds to other sounds they ondary pitches. and the taste, Thus the comprehension, than the former. varied more are the latter sensibility will gain futurist Our expanded noises will be developed. the passion for the engines of In a few years, has futurist eyes. ears as it already our industrial cities of factory orchestra is turned every will be skillfully tuned so that into an intoxicating noises. thousand different machines, among whose thousand different noises we can distin- different noises we thousand among whose machines, thousand different of the endless multiplication guish. With machinery, sion.

ubuclassics ubu.com 13 Luigi Russolo in 1913 with his mechanical orchestra. in 1913 with his mechanical Luigi Russolo the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise

ubuclassics ubu.com - 15 noise instru hestra, composed of c 14 Awakening ofAwakening a Capital Meeting of Automobiles and Airplanes Dining Time at the Casino Terrasse Skirmish at the Oasis was conducting the or s 1 shatterer s 1 ster uzzers 2 gurglers uzzers 2 ur ussolo himself The four noise networks are not mere impressionistic reproductions of reproductions impressionistic not mere are The noise networks four life 3 b 2 b 1 thunderer 3 whistlers 1 shriller 2 rustlers 1 snorter In spite of some lack of on the part of experience the performers, due to the R On the 2nd ofOn the 2nd creator Russolo, the futurist painter 1913, in Modena, June, poet Marinetti then undertook the and the The futurist composer Pratella to back went the futurist painter Russolo evening, Right after this memorable st Concert ofst Concert Noise Instruments Futurist the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise around us, but rather moving noise syntheses. Through a clever variation of variation a clever Through noise syntheses. moving rather but us, around pitches, and become abstract ele- and accidental episodic quality, the noises lose their imitative small number ofsmall number perfect, and the was almost always the orchestra hasty rehearsals, voluptuousness a new sonic revealed Russolo truly startling performance obtained by to all the auditors. ments: of the Art of the first noise time the different for and demonstrated explained Noise, with the painter Ugo collaboration in and built he had just invented instruments that Theatre. 2000 persons filling up the Storchi over before Piatti defense of in the face of in a violent contradictory debate, these amazing inventions insults on the part of and uncouth abuse “passé-ists.” the that his first Noise Networks four and creating perfecting his noise instruments work, on the House, Red performed finally were Milano’s a first during noise concert at ofevening hall, the leaders of 11. Inside the large August sev- and the futurist group they this strange orchestra: eral important Italian journalists massed around were noise networks different greeted the four and hurrays with enthusiastic applause titles follow: whose Fir

ubuclassics ubu.com 15 Listening to the harmonizedListening of combined pitches whistlers, the the bursters, the art ofthe art russolo luigi noise and the gurglers, no one remembered autos, locomotives or running waters; one locomotives autos, remembered no one and the gurglers, intense emotion of an experienced rather and like absolutely unforeseen futurist art, itself. nothing but ments of art.

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