The introductory audio essay illuminates four aspects of sound in physical space—location, size, reverberation and environmental noise—with examples of how composers from across the spectrum of Western art music exploited these phenomena in their music. Acoustician Jürgen Meyer and musicologist Elaine Sisman show how the classical composer Joseph Haydn used space to create musical effects beyond the boundaries of melody, harmony, rhythm and dynamics.

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  • Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007. Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged and performed by Yasuaki Shimizu. Cello Suites 1.2.3. Victor Entertainment – VICP-235, 1996. CD. Listen

  • Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007. Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged and performed by Yasuaki Shimizu, 2016. Unreleased.

  • Poème Electronique. Composed by Edgard Varèse. 1958. Stereo tape recording. Listen

  • Okina. Performers unknown. Date unknown. Digital transfer from VHS videotape. Listen

  • Don’t Blame Me. Performed by Thelonious Monk. Live performance, Copenhagen, Denmark, April 17, 1966. Listen

  • Movement 4 from String Quartet Op. 33, No. 2 ‘The Joke.’ Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Apponyi Quartet. Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 33. Ars Musici – 232160, 1993. CD recording. Listen

  • Atmosphères. Composed by György Ligeti. Performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, cond. Claudio Abbado. Wien Modern. Deutsche Grammophon – 429 260–21, 1988. CD recording. Listen

  • ‘2/2.’ Composed and recorded by Brian Eno. Ambient 1 / Music for Airports. Polydor – AMB 001, 1978. Vinyl recording. Listen

  • Movement 3 from Symphony No. 82 in C Major ‘The Bear.’ Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Orchestra of the 18th Century, cond. Franz Brüggen. Phillips – 462 111–2, 1999. CD recording. Listen

  • Gesang der Jünglinge. Composed and recorded by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Gesang Der Jünglinge – Kontakte. Deutsche Grammophon – 138 811 SLPM, 1963. Vinyl recording. Listen

  • Regina coeli a 12. Composed by Giovanni Gabrieli. Performed by the Gabrieli Consort, cond. Paul McCreesh. Lassus – Venetian Easter Mass. Archiv Produktion ‎– 453 427–2, 1997. CD Recording.Listen

  • Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225. Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performed by the Bach Collegium Japan, cond. Masaaki Suzuki. Bach Motets. BIS – BIS–SACD–1841, 2009. CD Recording.

  • Movement 4 from Symphony 21 in A Major. Performed by the Academy of Ancient Music, cond. Christopher Hogwood. Haydn Symphonies. L’Oiseau–Lyre / Decca – B009LNI0T0, 2015. CD reissue box set. Listen

  • Movement 4 from Symphony 21 in A Major. Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by Kamron Saniee. Unreleased digital recording, 2017.

  • Sonata in D minor, K. 213. Composed by Domenico Scarlatti. Unknown performer. Digital anechoic recording, date unknown. Courtesy Arup.

  • Movement 1 from Symphony 102 in B–flat Major. Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, cond. Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Teldec – 243 675–2, 1988. CD recording. Listen

  • Movement 1 from Symphony 6 ‘Morning.’ Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Freiburg Barockorchester. Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 6–8. Harmonia Mundi – HMC 901767, 2002.Listen

  • Movement 1 from Piano Concerto in A Major. Composed by Edvard Grieg. Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Karsten Andersen. Live recording, Bergen Festival, 1970. Listen

  • Movement 1 from Piano Concerto in A Major. Composed by Edvard Grieg. Performed by Clifford Curzon with the London Symphony Orchestra, cond. Øivin Fjelstad. Produced by John Culshaw. Decca – SXL.2173, 1960. Listen

  • Overture to The Marriage of Figaro. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performed by the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Masahiko Enkoji. Anechoic Orchestral Music Recording. Denon – PG–6006, 1988. Modified anechoic digital recording.

  • Courante from Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012. Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged and performed by Yasuaki Shimizu. Cello Suites 4.5.6. Victor Entertainment – VICP–60887, 1999. CD recording.

  • Sonata No. 5, Op. 53. Composed by Alexander Scriabin. Performed by Glenn Gould. Mixed by Paul Théberge. The Acoustic Orchestrations. Sony Classical ‎– 88725406572, 2012. CD recording.Listen

  • Casta Diva from Norma. Composed by Vincenzo Bellini. Performed by Rosa Ponselle. Columbia – 49720, 1919. Acoustical recording. Listen

  • Movement 3 from Symphony 13 in D Major. Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Philharmonia Hungarica, cond. Antal Doráti. Symphonies 1–19. Decca ‎– HDNA 1 – 6, 1973.

  • Movement 1 from Symphony 61 in D Major. Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Austro–Hungarian Haydn Orchestra, cond. Adam Fischer. Symphonies (Complete). Brilliant Classics – 99925, 2002. CD reissue box set.

  • Haffner Serenade in D Major, KV 250. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Karl Bohm. Deutsche Grammophon – 2530 290, 1972. Vinyl recording. Listen

  • Étude aux Chemins de Fer from Cinq Études des Bruits. Composed by Pierre Schaeffer. 1948. Tape recording. Listen

  • Free Field, Pressure Field, Diffuse Field. Composed and performed by Daniel Neumann. Live performance on the Kassem Mosse radio show, June 23, 2015. Listen

  • Movement 2 from Symphony 67 in F Major. Composed by Joseph Haydn. Performed by the Academy of Ancient Music, cond. Christopher Hogwood. Haydn Symphonies. L’Oiseau–Lyre / Decca – B009LNI0T0, 2015. CD reissue box set. Listen

Credit

Producer

Willem Boning

Issue Editor

Willem Bonig

Senior Editors

Joseph Bedford and Curt Gambetta

Production Consultant

Griffin Ofiesh

Technical Assistant

Brendan Smith

Announcer

Trudy Watt

Interviews

Jürgen Meyer and Elaine Sisman

Special Thanks

Scott Burnham and Alban Bassuet