Isotopica explores the horn

Isotopica will be broadcasting (a)live every tuesday afternoon between From 20 may To 20 June for a fabulous re-sounding of the UK’s largest ever audio loudspeaker.

From 20 May 2014, a full-size reconstruction of the gigantic ‘Denman horn’ will be the centerpiece of an innovative new art installation by Aleksander Kolkowski in our Virgin Media Studio, exploring and celebrating the artifact and its history through newly created sounds, music and the spoken word.

The Denman horn

Alongside the installation will be a wide-ranging programme of events and audio demonstrations, featuring live broadcasts, sound art and archive radio footage from contributors including the BBC History, Resonance 104.4FM, BBC Radio 3, Archive of the Now, London College of Communication, Royal College of Music, and Royal College of Art.

Once a popular highlight of the Museum’s daily tours in the 1930s, this historical object was originally commissioned by former Science Museum curator Roderick Denman, aiming to establish a benchmark in audio quality. Almost entirely destroyed in 1949, the Denman Horn was feared lost until 1981 when Museum staff uncovered the initial nine-foot-long section. The colossal horn measuring an impressive 27ft has been painstakingly rebuilt by the Museum’s Workshops team and visitors can now witness this audacious, forgotten instrument in action.

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