Sonorama (2015) is a new audio work by composer and artist Claudia Molitor for the otherwise silent view of the train journey between London St Pancras and Margate. Inspired by trains, journeying and the disconnect between looking at the passing landscape and hearing only the interior sounds of the carriage this work fills the gap between the visual and sonic realities of train travel.
Imagining the journey as the score, this collection of compositions, interviews, readings and archive material respond to the social history of the route, covering topics as diverse as visio-centricity, Roman history and hop-picking - all relating to a different point or area between London St Pancras and Margate -informed through a collaboration with historian David Hendy and the British Library.
The work lasts the duration of the whole route, yet is equally designed to be dipped into for part of the route, or you may prefer to browse by content. Once listening to a track, the screen will go dark, and the App will continue playing the work unless you return to the menu. The ‘text’ button will display information about each track whilst it is being played.
The Sketch of the Score for Sonorama, a graphic score of the reading of the journey, will be exhibited at Turner Contemporary between 20 June and 13 September 2015.
The publication for Sonorama with extended interviews and a print of the entire score is available from Uniformbooks.
Sonorama is curated and produced by Electra in partnership with Turner Contemporary and the British Library. With funding and support from Arts Council England, Kent County Council Arts Investment Fund, University of Kent, Southeastern, Hornby.