Lisboa - a soundscape portrait
ZwergProductions ZP 9401, 1994


Lisboa - a soundscape portrait owes it´s existence to two impulses. First there was a newspaper report saying the much in deficit tram in Lisbon would be ceased. Spontaneous response while reading: "We´ll have to get there and record it before the final drive!" (A reflex in soundscape-circles known also as "á la Murray Schafer")

Secondly a text was of inspiration that with great feeling for sound described a ride with tram no 28 in Lisbon: "Eléctrico" by Hans Magnus Enzensberger ("Eléctrico" is part of the Portugal-chapter in his book "Ach Europa", 1987.)

Lisboa - a soundscape portrait is the first soundscape-work by Michael Rüsenberg and Hans Ulrich Werner after having produced radio-features on the work of several sound artists.

Recordings were made in Lisbon in mid-June 1993, including the eve of the celebration of St. Antonio, Lisbon´s patron saint, when on Avenida da Liberdade music and dance groups out of different quarters of the city gather for a colourful contest, the "Marchas Populares“ (CD track 11).

Lisboa - a soundscape portrait is of descriptive nature mostly. Apart from a few exceptions it mostly features dense sound-studies of the places of recording (track no 10 for instance, "Benfica plays, the Alfama is listening", mirrors the tv- and radio-reception of the cup-final in the narow streets of the Alfama.) Most of the tracks are soundwalks based on real walks through certain parts of the city, for instance "Hiding from Noise" (track 7), where walking led from the air hammers on Rua do Carmo round the corner to the nearby church on Rua Garrett.

Lisboa - a soundscape portrait frequently uses multi-track layers and rarely encompasses sound processing effects. Anyhow, the latter can be heard clearly in track 9 ("Inside River Tejo"), where the crumpling sounds of the metal landing stages at the river have been transposed one octave lower and now suggest a sound grotto with a bizarre rhythm within.

The CD has been featured at Gaudeamus Festival, Amsterdam, Sept 1995
Radio: CBC, KPFA, WDR