Foghorn Requiem
On June 22nd 2013, more than 50 ships gathered on the North Sea to perform an ambitious musical score, marking the disappearance of the sound of the foghorn from the UK’s coastal landscape.
Foghorn Requiem was performed by three brass bands, ships at sea and the Souter Lighthouse Foghorn. Conducted and controlled from afar, ships sounded their horns to a score taking into account landscape and the physical distance of sound. The composition, performed live to audiences on the coastal cliffs, was played across a space of several miles around Souter lighthouse.
The mournful sound of a foghorn is a product of the landscape through which it travels, but up close the foghorn is probably the loudest, most exciting sound you will ever hear. At a distance the sound is different, softened and transformed by a million echoes and interactions with the space through which it passes. The sound itself is an embodiment of the landscape and history of the place.
Artists Lise Autogena and Joshua Portway have collaborated with composer Orlando Gough to create an event that incorporates this sense landscape, memory and space into the musical composition. New technology allowed ships horns several miles off shore to play together in time with musicians on shore, a gathering of three of the finest historical brass bands of the northeast, the Felling Band, the Westoe Band and the NASUWT Riverside Band.
More than fifty ships and sixty-five musicians gathered at Souter Lighthouse to perform the Foghorn Requiem together with the Souter Lighthouse foghorn itself. Foghorn Requiem was a celebration of the sound of the foghorn, and a gathering of people and ships coming together to listen to its majestic honk, one last time.
The Making of Foghorn Requiem
A film By Amber Films about the making of Foghorn Requiem. Foghorn Requiem was an event to mark the passing of the sound of the foghorn from the shores of the UK. Artists Lise Autogena and Joshua Portway conceived and directed the piece. More than fifty ships equipped with custom built horns and controllers, a 65 piece brass band, and the majestic foghorn of Souter lighthouse itself came together to play a piece of music composed by Orlando Gough. This film is a record of the last week of production leading up to the performance.
Collaborators
Artists
Lise Autogena
Artist
Joshua Portway
Artist
Technologist
Orlando Gough
Composer
Orlando Gough is a composer (and sometimes lyricist, librettist, music director, MC, recording engineer, cookery writer), who writes operas, choral music, music-theatre, music for dance and theatre, and creates large-scale site-specific work.
Music Partners
Westoe Brass Band
Westoe Brass Band, from South Tyneside in North east England, is the last remaining colliery band in the area. The band was was launched in 1911 as the Harton Colliery Band. The Westoe Brass Band will perform the Foghorn Requiem musical score at Souter Lighthouse
The Felling Band
The Felling Band is is a Championship Section contesting Brass Band based in Gateshead in the North East of England. The Felling Band will perform the Foghorn Requiem musical score at Souter Lighthouse
NASUWT Riverside Band
The NASUWT Riverside Band is a Championship Section brass band within the North East of England. Formerly known as the Newcastle Brown Ale Band.
Richard Bernas
Richard Bernas is a conductor and musical consultant, who has provided musical expertise towards the making of Foghorn Requiem
The Sage Gateshead
The Sage Gateshead has provided musical expertise on the Foghorn Requiem project . The Sage Gateshead also delivers the Bridge North-East programme which aims to connect children and young people with art and culture, and will support our community engagement programme.
Production and Funding
Grit and Pearl
Grit & Pearl are a Newcastle-based creative agency specialising in public realm projects including public art, urban design and site interpretation. Grit & Pearl curated the project and act as the main project manager of Foghorn Requiem.
The National Trust
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South Tyneside Council
South Tyneside Council enabled the development of Foghorn Requiem with its partner, the National Trust, and are supporting the delivery phase as a project funder and by providing logistical and event management expertise.
Festivals of the North East
The Festival of The North East is a large-scale festival taking place across the North East of England during June 2013. It will celebrate the distinct cultural identity of the North East as a place of creativity and innovation, as well as the cultural heritage of the region. The festival will be one of the largest in the UK with anticipated visitor numbers being in the region of two million people. Foghorn Requiem is a priority project for the Festival of the North East
The Customs House
The Customs House is the principal arts centre in South Tyneside, providing access to all forms of arts including high-quality opportunities for the general public to participate in arts activity. The Customs House is leading on a programme of community engagement activity built around Foghorn Requiem.
Maritime Partners
DFDS Seaways
The largest vessel in the Foghorn Requiem armada, DFDS Seaways’ cruise ferry Princess Seaways operates on the DFDS Seaways’ Newcastle to Amsterdam route, sailing the 266 nautical miles each way 363 days of the year. Built in Germany in 1986 by Schichau Seebeckwerft Princess Seaways is 162 metres in length with a capacity of 1400 passengers and 600 cars. The ship also has four bars, four restaurants, two shops, a casino, cinema and Kids’ Club on board. DFDS Seaways is Northern Europe’s largest integrated shipping and logistics company, with a network of 30 routes and 50 freight and passenger ships.
South Tyneside College
South Shields Marine School has a worldwide reputation as one of the best maritime training schools in the world. The Marine School contributes advisory assistance, as well as a limited number of moorings for smaller vessels participating in the Foghorn Requiem.
Kockum Sonics
Kockum Sonics is sponsor of ships horns for the Foghorn Requiem, and have contributed extensive professional guidance on the tuning and acoustic scoping of the project.
With a heritage in ship design and ship construction since the early days of industrialisation, Kockum Sonics has since built up expertise in acoustics, electronics, mecatronics and software development. the company is located in Malmö, Sweden, with subsidiaries in China, Great Britain, USA, Russia and Switzerland.
The Port of Tyne
The Port of Tyne has contributed in an advisory role to Foghorn Requiem, and the port is bringing Sir Bobby Robson, a port vessel used as plough, workboat, tug and dive support, to the flotilla.
North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA)
North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA) contributes to the Foghorn Requiem with a purpose built patrol/research vessel traveling from the port of Whitby. North Eastern Guardian III is a state of the art research/monitoring platform, equipped for Acoustic Ground Discrimination, sub sea surveying and biological/benthic habitat assessment.
Northern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NIFCA)
“IFCAs will lead, champion and manage a sustainable marine environment and inshore fisheries, by successfully securing the right balance between social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas, sustainable fisheries and a viable industry”. NIFCA contributes to the Foghorn Requiem with a purpose built patrol/research vessel, which is based on the Tyne. St. Oswald, is a 2001 state of the art steel mono-hulled patrol vessel, which is used to carry out inspections at sea.
Svitzer Marine ltd.
Throughout its history of more than 170 years, SVITZER has been at the forefront of specialised marine activities. SVITZER provides inter-related services in the fields of Harbour, Coastal, Terminal/LNG, Offshore and Ocean Towage as well as Salvage Operations, Crew Boat and Standby-Rescue Services. With a diverse fleet of vessels built to the highest standards, SVITZER stands ready to serve worldwide.
RNLI
RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, provides 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service and seasonal lifeguard services across the UK. The RNLI provides health and safety assistance, as well as two inflatable ribs to the Foghorn Requiem flotilla
North East Maritime Trust
N.E.M.T. was formed to make a positive contribution to the renewal of interest in traditional seagoing activities in the region. The main emphasis is on the care, maintenance, restoration and reconstruction of wooden vessels. The Trust is participating in the Foghorn Requiem with six beautifully restored vessels
Ocean Youth Trust North
‘Ocean Youth Trust North offers young people a safe but challenging environment in which to explore their identity and increase their confidence. The results are profound. Through adventure under sail, young people learn a variety of interpersonal and transferable skills that enable them to take control of their lives. Living together, often under adverse conditions, they are motivated by setting and achieving their own goals while taking on responsibility for all aspects of running a big boat. The result is a noticeable increase in individual determination and self-confidence and the development of team working, communication, social skills, responsibility, sense of equality, fairness, respect and awareness of the environment’. OYT North brings James Cook, a 21 metre steel-hulled ketch, to the flotilla.
The Marine Support and Training Service
The Marine Support & Training Service (MSTS) is a charity that provides training in Seamanship, Small Craft Engineering and Operational Support. MSTS will bring their expertise and an inflatable rib, the Blyth Venture, to the flotilla.
Brightblue Studio
Brightblue Studio is an art/architecture studio, based in South Shields. Brightblue Studio will bring the Trident Marine Voyager, a long keel cruising yacht to the flotilla
Royal Quays Marina
Royal Quays Marina is supporting Foghorn Requiem with vessel participation, advice and communication. Royal Quays Marina is a 350 berth marina situated in the former Albert Edward Dock, close to the mouth of the River Tyne at North Shields. The marina is operated by Quay Marinas Ltd, one of the UK’s foremost marina operators, who operate 7 marinas nationwide.
Sunderland Yacht Club
Vessels from Sunderland Yacht Club will take part in the Foghorn Requiem flotilla
Dean Horn of Wearside Pneumatics
Dean Horn of Wearside Pneumatics has provided specialist support for installation of compressed air systems for Foghorn Requiem. Wearside Pneumatics is Atlas Copco’s Official Distributor for the North East and is authorised to undertake surveys, design, supply and installation of compressed air equipment. The company is a specialist in all areas of pneumatics with maintenance and service operations, along with the supply of spare parts and ancillary equipment.
The Friars Goose Water Sport Club
The Friars Goose Water Sport Club on the Tyne, in Felling, was formed when the small Hutchinson Boat Yard went into administration in the early seventies. Most of the members were involved in the shipyards of Tyne and Wear and the club therefore represent a piece of living history of the North East nautical past. The Friars Goose Boat Club is participating in the Foghorn Requiem with it's own little armada of vessels traveling out of the Tyne.
Research Partners
Newcastle University - Marine Science Technology
Newcastle University’s Marine Department is providing the use of their vessel RV Princess Royal throughout the technology testing period and during the event itself
Sheffield Hallam University Cultural, Communication And Computing Research Institute (C3Ri).
C3RI is providing research time for Lise Autogena, as well as specialist software and other research support towards the acoustic modelling of the Foghorn Requiem
Delta
DELTA is an independent technology company based in Denmark. DELTA has provided software and specialist assistance on the acoustic modeling element of the project