Fragments of Extinction: Acoustic Biodiversity of Primary Rainforest Ecosystems
David Monacchi a b s t r a c t This paper describes the conceptual origins and develop- ment of the author’s ongoing environmental sound-art project Background Fragments of Extinction, which explores the eco-acoustic com- In 1998, while conducting a field recording campaign on Ital- ity of its organization and making it plexity of the remaining intact ian natural soundscapes, I had the intuition that the biophony available to audiences. In high can- equatorial forests. Crossing [1] of untouched forest ecosystems should exhibit a more opy forests, sounds come from ev- boundaries between bioacous- structured behavior, maximizing efficiency within diversity. I ery direction, including above (e.g. tics, acoustic ecology, electro- acoustic technology and music realized that, if properly reproduced, soundscape recordings birds and monkeys) and below (e.g. composition, the project aims to of these ecosystems could be powerful means for raising aware- amphibians and insects) the listen- reveal the ordered structures of ness of acoustic biodiversity and its heritage [2], now being ing position. The human brain de- nature’s sonic habitats, define a destroyed by rapid deforestation and climate change. When in tects this three-dimensional (3D) possible model of compositional information in its entirety through integration and make the out- 2002, with the help of Greenpeace, I traveled to the equatorial come accessible to audiences Amazon to record in an undisturbed area of old-growth rain- several subparameters that agree to foster awareness of the cur- forest, my hypothesis was immediately confirmed by finding with our composite natural percep- rent “sixth mass extinction.” extremely balanced acoustic systems produced by hundreds tion of direction, depth and dimen- of species of insects, amphibians, birds and mammals neatly sion of sound sources. In order to vocalizing within stunningly regular circadian cycles. Since record all these spatial attributes in then, I have been pursuing research and integration between the field, I employed “space-inclusive” and “space-preservative” the scientific inquiry of these soundscapes’ configurations and standards and experimental mic techniques [5], enabling my- the ways in which their aesthetic features can be explored, self to fully reproduce these ecosystems over periphonic loud- interplayed with and rendered for the public. speaker arrays. The investigation of long temporal sections Aware that intensive field work was essential (Fig. 1), I trav- (over 24 hours of continuous recording) in such remote and eled to the world’s largest remaining areas of primary rainforest dangerous habitats forced me to develop recording strategies [3] along the equator (where, given the equal length between suitable to extreme conditions (humidity up to 99%, sudden days and nights, life cycles—and thus sonic behaviors—are rainstorms, absence of electric current) and self-sufficient sys- evolutionarily tuned to extremely regular patterns) and re- tems for hazardous situations, capable of adjusting the sonic corded 24-hour sound portraits of various habitats within what perspective to on-ground, mid-floor and canopy species. Tak- are considered to be the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on ing into account all these concerns while making the most out Earth. If we consider that the most recent International Union of cutting-edge technology was a process of years of research, for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) [4] projections indicate which resulted in vivid sound portraits of this endangered bio- that half of the original species (the great majority of them logical heritage, now available for posterity. not even known to science) will be extinct by the end of this century, we also understand the urgency of recording sound examples of these diverse and unique, yet fragile, ecosystems: Fig. 1. The author recording Bai-Hokou saline, Dzanga-Sangha, the remnants of nature’s original “organized soundscapes.” 2008. (Photo © David Monacchi)
Field Research During my trips I have given great attention to the recording process. As compared to other scientific approaches, which mostly focus on a single species’ sonic languages and behav- ior, the recording strategies I adopted called for a broader ecological perspective, involving the collection of as many components as possible of a complex soundscape. Within this approach, the spatial information of a given acoustic environ- ment becomes a key element in understanding the complex-
David Monacchi (composer, researcher), Conservatory of Music “G. Rossini,” 5 Piazza Olivieri, Pesaro, Italy. E-mail:
© 2013 ISAST LEONARDO MUSIC JOURNAL, Vol. 23, pp. 23–25, 2013 23 gineered the Bio-Acoustic Theatre (Fig. 2), an immersive facility [9] capable of reproducing periphonic 360° audio and visually rendering the real-time spectro- gram of the soundscape as it unfolds. The theater, a scalable geodesic setup, con- sists of an array of 13 to 65 quasi-equally spaced loudspeakers, an array of projec- tors for circular display, and a seating system to optimize the placement of the audience toward the center of the venue for the best 3D sound illusion. Its shell is designed to maximize external noise reduction and internal sound energy ab- sorption needed for sound intimacy and the periphonic sound reconstruction. Fig. 2. The author’s Inside the theater, the public is ex- patented Bio- posed to a sequence of three different Acoustic Theatre, sonic experiences in which the original 12m diameter fixed version, 2013. (© soundscape undergoes increasing cre- David Monacchi) ative interventions: (1) sound documen- taries (unaltered, continuous habitat recordings), (2) transformations (sonic Integrating the Organized inaudible biophonies, is complemented time-lapses and electroacoustic explo- Soundscape by an electroacoustic performer’s hand rations) and (3) eco-acoustic compositions actions, with invisible sensors driving (musical interactions with recorded/ I used extensively detailed electroacous- digital sound synthesis. The performer streamed ecosystems). A significant op- tic lab analyses with visual investigation works strictly within available temporal tion, already implemented and suitable tools to enter the framework of these and frequential acoustic niches left open to all parts of the program, is live stream- soundscapes and to demonstrate their by the other species’ sonic “languages.” ing from one of three chosen equatorial balanced organization, which is intui- forests, realized through Internet or tively understood by a musician’s ear. The Bio-Acoustic Theatre satellite transmission (Fig. 3). Although While intraspecific calls (individuals of The aesthetic experience proposed real-time feeds do not always express the same species vocalizing from differ- by Fragments of Extinction [8] required optimized soundscapes, the simultane- ent territories) are traceable in record- a specific space to preserve the sonic ous immersion in an intimate habitat ings collected with space-preservative characteristics (acoustic perspective and expressing its live dynamics arouses a mic techniques, interspecific niche seg- dimension of virtual sound sources) of different inclination to listening, and regation dynamics only become evident these dense and diverse ecosystems. I en- aims to make the audience aware that it through spectrogram analyses. Following a bio-acoustic “niche hypothesis” [1], my research primarily aims to reveal the Fig. 3. Illustration of the real-time transmission to the Bio-Acoustic Theatre from three aesthetic significance of typology/fre- areas of primary rainforest where extensive field research was done (Amazon: Amazonas’ quency/temporal sonic niches and their Rio Juaoperi Xixuau, 2002; Congo Basin: Central African Republic’s Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve, 2008, 2010; Borneo: Brunei’s Ulu Temburong Reserve, 2012, 2013). complex interactions within these un- (© David Monacchi) touched, therefore highly coordinated, natural systems. Considering the possible artistic ren- dering of ecological processes, I was guided by two questions: Is it possible to learn from a primary ecosystem and to compose within the same laws that have shaped these ancient acoustic en- vironments? Is it possible to deferently use compositional tools to reveal and en- hance existing configurations of species? While exploring nature and trying to de- code its sonic strategies, I developed a compositional approach to complement sound environments with performance, which I termed “eco-acoustic composi- tion” [5]. One example—among others [6]—is the piece Integrated Ecosystem [7]. Here, a proportional and chronological time-lapse of a 9-hour continuous re- cording, followed by an exploration of the sonological properties of audible and
24 Monacchi, Fragments of Extinction is witnessing an ancient, but disappear- References and Notes 9. Rossini S.P.A.C.E. (Soundscape Projection Ambi- sonic Control Engine), engineered by David Mona- ing, biome. 1. Bernie Krause, (Berkeley, CA: Into a Wild Sanctuary cchi and Eugenio Giordani, is the first periphonic Heyday, 1993). The theater program thus combines sound facility built in Italy. It operates as control scientifically accurate soundscapes with 2. R. Murray Schafer, The Tuning of the World (New room/mixing studio for the project. musical integrations, proposing a pro- York: Knopf, 1977. gression of immersive, didactical and 3. For a thorough report, see David Monacchi, “Notes Manuscript received 2 January 2013. artistic experiences. The moving spec- from Africa,” Ear to the Earth Festival, New York (2009):
Monacchi, Fragments of Extinction 25