Luigi
Russolo was a painter and one of the first composers to experiment in
the field of 'noise art', and was the author of The Art of Noises
manifesto, a futurist interpretation of the human response to the
sounds of contemporary urban environments. The manifesto states that
noise first came into existance with as of the result of 19th
Century machinery, and that the world before this time was
comparitively silent. Excluding the sounds of natural phenomena,
sounds that intruded upon this were not prolonged or varied until the
industrial revolution.
Russolo
theorises that the increasing complexity of sounds that are heard in
the modern environment (meaning those environments within cities or
other industrialised areas) have directly lead to modern composers
increasing the complexity of their own works as a result, as an
organic response. This concept of course can be applied to other art
forms, and seems to be more valid than ever in modern times.
Comparing contemporary music to music made thirty or fourty years ago
reveals a great deal of evolution in complexity, in both
orchestration and techniques, but this increased convolution is not
necessarily logical on first appearances, nor is it universal by any
means. Some musicians directly reflect the effects of
industrialisation (Swedish art-metal group Meshuggah using an almost
binary style rhythm section conjurs images of huge machinery, and it
is reflected in titles such as Future Breed Machine and
Destroy Erase Improve), and much of the electronic music of
the 1970's onwards is conceptually linked to the evolution of the
computer (German electronica pioneers Kraftwerk being the primary
originators of this, with much of their lyrical content forshadowing
the increasingly popularity and commonality of computers, not
necessarily always in a positive light).
Futurism
itself is inherently linked to industrialisation and is possibly one
of the most significant movements in art and design in the last 200
years. Modern architectural desiign, for instance, is born of a
process of functionality leading into reflection, which then informs
future functional design as we know it now. Manchester is a
particularly good example of this kind of development, being as it
was a major centre for industry in the 1800's. Many of the original
warehouses and factory buildings remain, having been repurposed many
times over the years, now with new contemporary architecture
alongside it creating a distinct comparison.
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| Dynamism of a Train (1912) |
This
piece is fairly indicative of Russolo's work in paint, emphasising
the harsh rhythms of futurist work, emphasising motion and speed. His
work often uses blues and oranges in stark contrast to one another
which gives the work yet more vibrancy.
 |
Music (1911)
|
In
this piece, the tone is somewhat darker and more sinister, though the
blue and orange colour scheme remains it is largely a shadowy image.
The central figure, a pianist, is enshrouded by darkness, silhouetted
by radiating circles upon which a multitude of ghoulish faces are
intruding. This refelcts the introspective, personal nature of
musical creation, and the natural vulnerability of artistic creation.
The artist is constantly under observation and criticism.
