Usually the term “sound sculpture” applies to a construct or simply a planned organization of sound that exists as art rather then music. The sound is the structure or the structure is the sound. This 1985 double LP release originally from Wergo records and long out of print, throws us a curve. The 10 tracks on Sound Sculptures refer to music that is actually played on sculpture or, in some cases, musical constructions that also exist as free-standing art. Not surprisingly, like on the opening “Metalaphonie” by Seigfreid Fink, the music is quite percussive resembling contemporary classical pieces of Stockhausen, Boulez, or Varese. Hans-Karsten Raecke’s “Das Mecklenburger Pferd” is somewhat jazzy. A few are not percussive at all, often concentrating on drones or chant-like sounds such as on Wolfgang Roscher’s “phonetische Etude” or repetitive tones as on Peter Vogel’s “Klienes Funstimmiges Minimal Music”. All of the tracks are above average for the post-modern / avant garde art of the time. It is a very interesting listen from the first track on and also a fascinating historical artifact.

Sound Sculptures is available from Ubuweb in 160kbps MP3.

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