In FOR SEASONS we made climate change audible through an update of Antonio Vivaldi‘s famous violin concertos "The Four Seasons", using algorithms based on climate data.
Our Role Sound Concept, Algorithmic Score Editing // Client NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra // Production Company Merkenfilm Crossing // Creative Agency Jung von Matt AG // PR / Marketing Segmenta Communications / Hamburg // Sound Partner Markenfilm SPACE // Year 2019
Awards // CANNES LIONS - Gold - Creative Data // CANNES LIONS - Bronze - Radio & Audio // ONE SHOW - Gold - Creative Use of Data / Storytelling // ONE SHOW - Best of Discipline - Creative Use of Data / Storytelling // ONE SHOW - Silver - Craft / Use of Sound // ONE SHOW - Green Pencil // D&AD Graphite Pencil - Sound Design & Use of Music // D&AD - Wood Pencil - Radio & Audio // NEW YORK FESTIVALS - Gold - Best Use of Music // NEW YORK FESTIVALS - Gold - Sound Design // NEW YORK FESTIVALS - Bronze - Live Experience // NEW YORK FESTIVALS NEW YORK FESTIVALS Live Experience - Bronze // ADC GERMANY Gold - Digital Communication - Data-Driven Creativity // ADC GERMANY Silver - Audio - Innovative Use of Audio // ADC GERMANY Silver - Event Experience - Craft - Music /Sound // ADC GERMANY Silver - Next Level // ADC GERMANY Silver - Craft - Innovation in Production
Vivaldi wrote the Four Seasons in 1723. His work was a revolution in musical composition: In each concerto, he portrayed the characteristics of the seasons and their natural phenomena like flowing creeks, violent storms, frozen landscapes and even singing birds. Since then, the world he depicted in his music has dramatically changed.
To imagine what Vivaldi would compose today, we analysed every single nature element in Four Seasons. Then, from temperature anomalies to CO2 emissions and to species extinctions, we gathered more than 10 data sets from the early 18th century until the present day to recompose the concert.
The algorithms mapped the data on the sheet music on two levels. While overall climate data sets were used to enhance all four seasons, special data sets like “insect population” were mapped only on individual motifs like “buzzing flies”.
For instance, the algorithms adjusted the duration of the seasons: today’s Winter is 51 bars shorter and the motifs of Summer already arrive in Spring.
The new piece is not pleasant: harmonic passages shift into disharmonies, seasons blend together and some notes are completely missing, resulting in an increasingly disturbing experience. The balance is lost, just like in nature itself.
The For Seasons premiered at Elbphilharmonie Hamburg to a sold-out crowd and to 150,000 live viewers on Facebook. Our message was picked up fast and the sound of climate change was heard by millions. TV & radio stations in 130 countries reported on the concert.
In only a month, For Seasons achieved a global reach of nearly 1 billion contacts and is now partnering with the United Nations Development Program to organise more performances.
The score is freely available to any orchestra in the world.
