Dominic Murcott Arx Duo
The Harmonic Canon

from the artist's bandcamp: ...Winner of the 2018 BASCA British Composer Award for Solo or Duo

A music project featuring a specifically design half-tonne double bell, an array of rare percussion and two highly virtuosic percussionists.

“Bloody hell that was good” Tim McKinney, BBC Radio 3

Watch The Harmonic Canon in action: dominicmurcott.com/harmoniccanon

Created in collaboration with sculptor Marcus Vergette, The Harmonic Canon is both the name of the piece and the double bell that was custom-made for it. Comprising of two bells tuned a semitone apart, the bell was created using Finite Element Analysis, a type of structural analysis that determines the vibration patterns of the bell, manipulating its harmonic series to create a complex series of frequencies that make up a note. The result is a sound world that straddles consonance and dissonance, murky and clear, pure and distorted. Parts of the bells are in tune with each other, while others are out of tune, creating a unique ‘beating’ between the bells. Oh – and did we mention it spins?

‘I came up with the idea of a series of 21-minute pieces in conversation with Gabriel Prokofiev,’ says Dominic. ‘The perfect length for one side of vinyl, it is also a message of intent and a gentle demand for the track-skipping listener.’

Part One is made up of rapid, high energy, virtuosic passages, articulated with the ominous striking of the bell while the second part contrasts with a single resonant tone that evolves and shifts over time. This is part of nonclassical’s 21 Minutes series, a new project commissioning 21-minute pieces.