Nightdripsdragon

NACHTTROPFENDRACHE 
(NIGHTDRIPSDRAGON)

Noise Box Sound Installation by Knut Remond and children from Berlin-Neukölln

With Clara, Ferdinand, Louis, Paul und Clara
Director: Knut Remond

On the 1st November 2008, in a cloak and dagger operation, a mysterious transport box was delivered to ohrenhoch. Sender unknown. Dear visitors, only one thing is certain: The Nachttropfendrache transport box can’t be opened, or else...

The Nightdripsdragon’s transport box stays closed: Please don’t open the box, or else…You can hear the Nightdripsdragon in his case, moving, crawling, snorting, snuffling, shuffling, creaking, shouting, and eating.

"Nachttropfendrache" was built up out of a varied array of sounds and noises, patch worked together to create a sound sculpture or sound installation.

I suggested the idea of the Nachttropfendrache to the children. It was to be a Nachttropfendrache sent from an unspecified location. Sender unknown.

It was important for the children to consider what was in the transport case. To realize the Nachttropfendrache for themselves as an animal or mythological creature; a hybrid, taking elements from many myths and legends reaching beyond European cultures.

The shaman of some people’s have no specific name for a dragon. They describe them as giant bats.

The ohrenhoch children’s group first met during the 48 hours Neukölln event as part of the project: "Die Reise durch die elektrischen Geräuschgalaxien" (The journey through the electrical noise galaxies) Which was presented in ohrenhoch from 20 - 22.6.08. The children’s group meets every Wednesday in ohrenhoch der Geräuschladen. The "Nachttropfendrache" was created during the Wednesday sessions between the 24th September and the 29th October 2008.

"Nachttropfendrache"

The Nachttropfendrache was created using:
Voice, microphone, a small mixing desk with effects, plastic bags, newspapers, planks of wood, old egg slicer, apples, nuts, beakers, a sink full of water, rattles, silver paper, a wooden tea box with elastic bands stretched over it, zips and a hunting horn.

Knut Remond: Sound-cut-ups

Creating Nachttropfendrache was the first time that the children did most of the recording by themselves. Sections of the sounds you hear from the "Nachttropfendrache" were recorded and mixed by the children. They worked together, shared their ideas with each other and realised them together.

It is fascinating to observe that through listening we connect with our third eye. The third eye allows us an exciting and magical possibility of visualisation. Imagination and fiction can create new worlds that well and truly shake up reality.

Knut Remond 1 November 2008

We would like to thank both of our sponsors: Zapf Umzüge and Musikhaus Thomann.

Special thanks go to Frank Rutkowski who built the beautiful transport case for the Nachttropfendrache according to the design by Knut Remond and the ohrenhoch-Kids.