‘Poeme Symphonique’: the classical symphony without instruments
Listening to classical music is, most of the time, a beautiful and stirring experience; good for the soul, empowering, and often a window to history or, indeed, different cultures around the world. Today, we’re at the other end of the spectrum. Although all of the aforementioned can be absolutely true, there is an element of the classical genre that’s completely mental – there’s no nicer way of putting it – and you can’t get any starker of an example than ‘Poeme Symphonique’.
Written by Hungarian composer György Ligeti in 1962, ‘Poeme Symphonique’ is not made unusual with respect to its meaning or choice of instruments – but rather, the exact opposite. What makes the piece so bizarre is that it is a classical symphony performed without instruments, and instead, 100 metronomes set out on stage.
For those unfamiliar with the technical details, a metronome is a device that produces a ticking sound at a set tempo, helping musicians stay in time with their playing—essentially like a clock, but with a customisable speed. In this performance, 100 metronomes are wound up to different tempos by ten people who appear on stage at the start. Once set in motion, the metronomes are left to tick away independently. There’s no predetermined duration for how long this can last, as each metronome gradually winds down at its own pace.
For those sensitive to repetitive sounds, ‘Poeme Symphonique’ is an overwhelming experience, with its barrage of ticking metronomes creating an almost hypnotic chaos. Unlike traditional classical pieces steeped in historical meaning, this composition offers little in terms of narrative or melody. However, for those captivated by the rhythmic randomness of the 100 ticking dials, the piece presents a fascinating, if unconventional, exploration of sound and structure.
The banality of the piece is enough to turn many people away, but just perhaps this was Ligeti’s idea. It was written some nearly 63 years ago following his brief flirtation with the Fluxus movement, an international community of artists focused more on the artistic process rather than the finished product. There was an emphasis on performance ‘events’ – of which ‘Poeme Symphonique’ perfectly fits the bill – as well as visual art of many new and innovative forms. Alongside Ligeti, within the movement were a host of well-known names, including George Brecht and Yoko Ono, who later inspired bands like The Velvet Underground.
While it definitely is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, ‘Poeme Symphonique’ offers up a little-known side to classical music that many would not have been exposed to or even conceived of before. Like a lot of artistical movements, Fluxus does not have to be fully comprehensible in order to still be valued, as it undoubtedly furthered the notion of experimentation into fields that had perhaps never been explored before. Although it may come with a warning, the next time you sit down to take in a bit of high culture, if you start hearing a lot of ticking all of a sudden, then brace yourself. There’s a reason it’s not performed live that often.
