VIFF Review: Trimpin: The Sound of Invention

Trimpin: The Sound of Invention
Vancity Theatre
Friday, October 9 2009 9:30pm

Gerhard Trimpin is an inventor, musician, composer, tinker, and conceptual artist with a unique sensibility and ingenious mechanical aptitude. His musical instruments cum audio sculptures are playful, sonically interesting, and surprisingly musical. His workshop is a treasure trove of parts culled from junkyards and free sources. Machines in various stages of completion resemble the fanciful illustrations of Dr. Seuss.

Trimpin's upbringing in a small town in the Black Forest region of Germany is a strong influence on his art. The cuckoo clock tradition, his father's handiness as a cabinet maker, an old electronics book for boys, and his natural affinity for tinkering form the basis of his inventiveness. He befriended, and was influenced by composer Conlon Nancarrow who wrote pieces for player piano which could not be played by human pianists.

The film features a number of Trimpin's installations. One of the more well know is the tower of guitars in Seattle's Experience Music Project. Entitled "If VI was IX: Roots and Branches", this 50 foot sculpture of 700 guitars was commissioned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. In an amusing anecdote, Trimpin assuages Allen's worry on how the guitars will be tuned by blurting out that they will be self-tuning without having any idea how to accomplish that.

Trimpin collaborates on a most unusual concert with the Kronos Quartet, bringing his musical instruments and machines together with the music world's most experimental string quartet. The form of the concert is in flux as the Kronos members learn how to play Trimpin's instruments, and understand his conception. Eventually everyone finds their way, and the concert comes off spectacularly.

At 79 minutes this film is only a small sampling of the mechanical musical wonders that Trimpin brings to life. Fortunately, director Peter Esmonde and Trimpin himself was at the screening and answered questions about the film and the work. Trimpin was soft-spoken but enthusiastic in answering the audience's questions.