Schwebende Klöpperböden / Floating Klöpper Heads

“Klöpper heads” are industrially produced hemispherical end caps for cylindrically shaped pressure vessels or other process-related containers. Christoph Schläger uses them as sculptural musical instruments. Here, the klöpper heads hover in space like three small UFOs.

Numerous “sound tongues” have been cut into the surface of each of the objects. When one of the tongues is struck, it creates a reverberating, hovering tone. You can try out different areas on the klöpper heads and create a small improvised musical figure. The notes don’t follow any particular scale. “Markers” have also been engraved along the surface, so that you can rediscover and play with the almost meditative sounds that emerge. The Floating Klöpper Heads are mainly designed to be played with hands and fingers, but felt mallets also sound excellent. Of course, multiple people can also play them together to create various soundscapes.

The Hovering Klöpper Heads were created for the 25th anniversary of the Landesmusikakademie NRW as part of the sound art series Soundseeing V.

Reference: www.soundseeing.net