Jacob Kirkegaard’s CROSSFIRE is created from sound recordings of firearms and artillery that are transcribed for orchestra, and the work thus evokes the sounds of a war situation. But it is more than just a collection of sounds, as Kirkegaard, as part of his composing method, conducted interviews with a veteran who spent time under fire, talking with him about the human sound of war, the endless, unbearable wait and then the sudden, deafening crossfire. From these conversations Kirkegaard was able to approach questions that shaped his work: What does war sound like? Does it have a special sound? A tonal language?
Kirkegaard has sought the answers to these questions through a year of audio research including several visits to the Danish military shooting ranges, as well as to shooting ranges with civilian weapons’ enthusiasts. He has made sound recordings with sensitive vibration sensors placed directly on firearms and military vehicles as well as with acoustic measuring microphones positioned in shooting ranges. Jacob Kirkegaard has listened attentively to the mechanics of the weapon, the cutting of the projectile through the air and the deep echo after the explosion of a grenade. He used his recordings to compose a work that was then transcribed especially for The Royal Lifeguard’s Music Corps.
The work is orchestrated by Connor McLean and published by Edition·S. CROSSFIRE is commissioned by KLANG Festival.
World Premiere: Friday 2 September 19.30, Stærekassen, Copenhagen.
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