Composers / Arne Nordheim / Places catalog

Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU

The building of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) at Gløshaugen in Trondheim was opened by King Harald on 30 May 2000. It has a surface area of 60,000 square meters and can accommodate 3000 students.

Arne Nordheim and Carl Nesjar, together with other artists, were invited to decorate the interior with art. They chose to create the installation Gilde på Gløshaugen [The feast at Gløshaugen], running across the whole building. They combined electronic music with a light installation. Nesjar's Uten tittel [Untitled] consists of perspex layered cubes with neon tubes of various colour and intensity pulsating light in accordance with sounds generated after an idea by Nordheim. The installation reacts with light and sound to various factors: temperature, wind speed, daylight, rain and even the number of people present in the building. The pulsation of the neon and the sounds are combined and controlled by a single computer. The software for the installation was written by Sigurd Suae from the Telecommunications Institute. The computer's selections are dependent on data provided by the meteorological station on the roof of the Natural Sciences Faculty. The speed at which the sound material is sequenced depends on the indications of infrared sensors on counters by doors in various parts of the building. The more passers-by are recorded by a counter over a set time period, the quicker are the sequences. The sound material is divided into three layers, with separate space distribution, combined with a specific shade of colour in Nesjar’s cubes. Thirty-two speakers transmit the sound into three atriums and the building's concourse. As a result of all this, many years may pass before the same sequence is heard for a second time.

Interestingly, the computer is programmed in such a way that on the birthdays of seven composers one of the sequences will dominate in the sound image. Bach (21 March) is celebrated by the sound of a rolling stream I, Mozart (27 January) by the sound of dripping water II (in the sun), Beethoven (16 December) by the bubbling of a stream II (in the rain), Bruckner (4 September) by the noise of an exploding primer in a shotgun, Mahler (7 July) by the calling of cattle in a mountain meadow, Schönberg (13 September) by the hum of a thin tape 2 (in the sun) and Nordheim (20 June) by a sunray. A singularity occurs at 8 a.m. on 2 June, when, for reasons unknown, all seven sequences are played simultaneously.

Alfa Alfa is a musical work simulating a possible sequence in this installation.

Place Category
13 Øvre Jegerborggate, Larvik Other
3 Olavsgate, Larvik Other
Artists' House Other
Arts Council Norway Other
Bayreuth Appearances
Bekkelaget Sewage Treatment Plant Other
Bergen Festival Appearances
Brekstad in Ørland commune Other
British Broadcasting Corporation Radio / TV
Calmeyergaten Mission House Appearances
City Hall Other
Concertgebouw Appearances
Concert Palace Appearances
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Den Nationale Scene Appearances
Edition Wilhelm Hansen
Publishers / Bookshops
Feliks Nowowiejski Warmia and Masuria Philharmonic Appearances
Festiviteten Other
Grieghallen Appearances
“Grotto” Flats
Håkonshallen Appearances
Henie-Onstad Art Centre in Baerum Education
Hergisheim Flats
International Bach Academy Appearances
Israeli Radio Radio / TV
Israel Music Institute Other
Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance Other
Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra Appearances
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Appearances
Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music Education
Larvik church Churches / Places of worship
Lillehammer – Winter Olympic Games Other
Lodge Theatre Performance spaces
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Appearances
National Library Education
National Theatre Performance spaces
Netherlands Dance Theatre
New Music Association
Nidaros Cathedral Churches / Places of worship
Norwegian Academy of Music Education
Norwegian Opera Other
Norwegian Opera at the Folk Theatre Appearances
Norwegian Society of Composers Other
Norwegian Theatre I Other
Norwegian Theatre II Other
Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU Education
NOTAM Education
NRK radio and television Radio / TV
Observatory Other
Old Lodge (Gamle Logen) Appearances
Orchester der Württembergischen Staatsoper Appearances
Osaka Congress Hall (EXPO 70)
Oslo Cathedral Churches / Places of worship
Oslo Conservatory of Music Education
Oslo Philharmonic Appearances
Polish Radio Experimental Studio Radio / TV
Quality Hotel Grand Farris Hotels / Inns
“Rendezvous” for strings Appearances
Rombergata School Education, Other
Royal Norwegian Consulate General, New York Other
Royal Swedish Academy of Music Education
Santori Horu (Suntory Hall) Appearances
Storedal Cultural Centre Other
Swedish Radio Radio / TV
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg Appearances
Teatro La Fenice Performance spaces
Theatre Café Coffeehouses
Town Hall in Gdańsk Other
Trento Other
University Aula Other
Wailing Wall Churches / Places of worship
Warsaw Autumn Performance spaces
Witold Lutosławski Society Other