AUERGLASS: Experimental Organ by Tauba Auerbach and Cameron Mesirow

auerglass

The "Auerglass" is an experimental and  self designed  two person pumped organ out of the mind of two  artists Tauba Auerbach and Cameron Mesirow (singer-songwriter also known as Glasser). It's one of those delightful cases of "music meets art". The instrument needs of two person playing simultaneously so it cannot be played by one person alone.

Being the creators best friends they conceived it as a "tandem" instrument so each  of the two players has a keyboard with alternating notes of a four octave scale and must pump to supply the wind to the other player's notes.

auerglass diagram

Above: Auerglass diagram 49 pipe. 4 bellows. 2 keyboards
White pine, plum, maple, southern yellow pine, blood wood, white oak, walnut, acrylic, steel, copper, leather, felt – L=15’-10 ½”; W= 2’-7 ½”; H= 9’-8”

The way it is played renders a final melody that is never quite the same and thus it has a great component of improvisation in it yet not so, as they have scored special melodies to be played this way. It sounds very "vintage" and "dreamy"

This gorgeous and insane looking Auerglass organ was constructed by Parsons Pipe Organ Builders in Canandaigua, New York and it was part of Tauba´s show "Here And Now/And Nowhere" at Deitch Projects

Below you can see some videos of the AUERGLASS  and these two talented ladies in action.

Above: Official Auerglass project video with Tauba Auerbach and Cameron Mesirow
Performance outfits created for Tauba Auerbach and Cameron Mesirow by Ida Falck Øien.