Mats Wendt Explained

Mats Wendt (born in 1965) is a Swedish classical composer and artist. His best known work internationally is Eddan – the invincible sword of the elf-smith, a 16-hour-long "cybersymphonic" work on Norse mythology according to Viktor Rydberg. Five hours from Eddan was performed in Bayreuth 2003 during the annual Wagner festspiele,^[1] in Wahnfried, Wagner's former home, now the Richard Wagner museum. The work was first performed in its entirety in Reykjavík in 2009.^[2] Prior to Eddan, he's been inspired by works of writers like William Blake and T. S. Eliot.^[3]

Wendt is also the originator of "cybersymphony",^[4] a concept for transferring the symphony orchestra to computers and by this create a super instrument that is independent of development of hard and software. He's performed his work at the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology.^[5]

Cybersymphony

The concept of Cybersymphony was created by Wendt in 1993 to build a foundation for symphonic music created by computers and synthesizers.

The "instrument" used to perform a cybersymphony consists of two things: the cybersymphonic law that defines what the instrument is, and any synthesizer that meets the requirements. This means that, in the absence of a physical instrument (and the small differences caused by the analogue), a consistently defined sound is available.

The Cybersymphonic Law summarised:

• All sounds must have a real counterpart (violin, oboe and so on, with the correct register span).
• All instruments must be played like the real counterpart (i.e.: technical limitations must be observed).
• All instruments or instrument sections must be located on separate midi channels
• No sampling of mixed sounds may occur.
• The Orchestral dynamic is created by the parts individual dynamics.
• No dynamic event may occur in the section sounds or instruments sounds
• Dynamic is formed by continuous volume and the keystroke
• The orchestral timbre is created through the sum of the sounding separate midi channels

Selected works

• Cyborg Piano Concerto nr 1 (1981)
• The child and the soul of logic (1984)
• Three Psychological portraits (1989)
• Psychopath predominantly aggressive
• Schizophrenic reaction type catatonia
• Die grosse compressed crocodile symphony
• Urbana
• Voluspa
• Baltic ode (1990)
• Excalibur Piano Concerto nr 3 (1993)
• Tales from lord of the rings 1 (1993)
• Tales from lord of the rings 2 (1995)
• Symphony for a dead world (1994)
• The Insects Collection (1993–1995)
• The Omega point theory (1994)
• The Marriage of heaven and hell (1996)
• The Millennium Symphony (1997)
• WasteLands (1997)
• Europe a prophecy (1998)
• Eddan — the invincible sword of the elf-smith (2008)

Sources

• STIM - the Swedish Performing Rights Society

External links

• Eddan
• www.matswendt.com
• Cybersymphonic Institute

Notes and References

1. News: Redvall . Eva . Wagnerhändelse och dröm för svensk cybersymfoniker . Sydsvenskan . 19 July 2003 . sv.
2. News: Betts . Jane . Tonsatt Edda uruppförs av Karlskronakompositör . Blekinge Läns Tidning . 22 May 2009 . sv.
3. News: Andersson . Margareta . Mats Wendt uruppför cyber-Eddan . Sydsvenskan . 23 May 2009.
4. News: Cybersymfoniker uppträder i Lund . Sydsvenskan . 16 April 2000 . Swedish.
5. News: Betts . Jane . Wendt med orkester till Tekniska museet . Blekinge Läns Tidning . 16 October 2000.