Fetish: Bent Leather's palpable, visceral instruments and Grainger

Abstract

This article presents Bent Leather Band's gestural embodiment of Percy Grainger's Free Music language and experiments. The authors present their perspectives on instrument-making within the paradigm of live ensemble improvisation. The article investigates the nature of playability and expert control. It considers that these elements should be in governance with a musical language. It examines the visceral and palpable aspects of the instrument purpose-built for virtuosic Free Music play. This is presented through the ensemble evolution of the Bent Leather Band and the adaptation of our instruments to Percy Grainger's remarkable sonic language: ‘beyond the constraints of conventional pitch and rhythm’.

Keywords:

• Fetish
• Control Interface
• Playable
• Free Music
• Expert Control

Acknowledgments

We dearly acknowledge the contributions of three remarkable Australians. First, Garry Greenwood, whose passing in April 2005 was a tragic loss. Garry's incredible leatherwork will inspire Australians for years to come. We also would like to acknowledge Jeff Pressing and his support for our work over the years previous to his passing. Without Jeff's support, we would never have believed in developing our first prototype. Also, to David S. Brown, whose work and remarkable talent has been of great inspiration to our project.

Notes

[1] The iPod has become a fetish object of epic proportions (see www.us.gizmodo.com/).

[2] www.eng.fju.edu.tw/Literary_Criticism/marxism/Adorno-benjamin.html.