AUTOMATONES (2023)

AUTOMATONES: Full recording
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks – BRSO
Conducted by Sir Simon Rattle
World Première, 13 October 2023,
Musica Viva, Isarphilharmonie München
©2023 by BR
BR-KLASSIK CONCERT

The AUTOMATONES were animated metal statues of animals, humans, and monsters crafted by the divine blacksmith Hephaestus and the Athenian craftsman Daedalus. The boldest of these self-acting creatures—including Caucasian eagles, golden mermaids, and bronze bulls—should be able to think and feel like humans. In one myth, when Herakles was visiting Daedalus’ workshop, he smashed one of the statues, mistakenly believing he had been attacked by a real person. So a veteran of artificial intelligence, a topic that is now shaping the world like never before. Behind the AI is extremely delicate “self-learning” computer programming and this stimulated me to research sound about illusions of the seemingly endlessly lasting ascending tone sequences or rhythmic accelerations, as well as to use different types of motor skills in general. But should artificial intelligence also be able to “feel” – or is it just a matter of time?*

*No AI was used during the compositional process of AUTOMATONES.

Vito Žuraj

Review by Robert Jungwirth on KlassikInfo: Rattle dirigiert Berio und Zuraj bei der Musica Viva des BR