Flow and Ebb

Come Hell or High Water

Richard’s Wilson’s bass drum was filled with river water with a hose coming from a pump in the river. As the bass drum filled, Richard played throughout on both the empty and full part of the bass which changed from a vibrant, resonant tone when it was empty, through to a dull thud when it was full. I then opened the tap from the drum to fill up an aquaphone with the river water, an instrument which also responds to amount of water in the metal chamber as it is bowed or beaten. Mark Anderson and Ansuman Biswas joined in to form a trio of aquaphones filled with river water from the bass, accompanying the brightening sound of the emptying drum.