NEWS: Universe of Sound has won the 2013 Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Audiences and Engagement. The award recognizes an outstanding initiative by an organisation or individual to engage new and existing audiences with classical music in the UK in 2012. The RPS commented "The Philharmonia cements its position as a World leader in the use of digital media" and that the project "provided a thrilling interactive experience for all ages". Find out more here.
Conduct, play and step inside a virtual Philharmonia Orchestra, joining 132 musicians and Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Orchestra’s Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor, performing one of the most spectacular pieces of music ever written. Universe of Sound is an extraordinary free interactive digital installation, allowing you to explore an orchestra from the inside out as they perform Holst’s The Planets.
Using giant visual displays, touch screens, unconventional projecting surfaces, movement-based interaction and planetarium-style projections, you can take part as musicians, conductors, arrangers and composers. Universe of Sound has been created by Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
The installation also features a new companion piece to The Planets, by composer Joby Talbot, called Worlds, Stars, Systems, Infinity.
Its première was presented in partnership with the Science Museum in London from 23 May-27 August 2012. The project will tour to UK cities including Birmingham and Canterbury in 2013, before being developed for international touring.
About the Project
This extended documentary directed by Lisa Thomson takes us back to January 2012, and the very first phase of production at Watford Colloseum, the venue for the intricate multi-camera shoot which brought the project to life.
With interviews across technical and production phases of the project, as well as with Esa-Pekka Salonen and Richard Slaney, this film maps the entire process which brought the very first Universe of Sound installation to the Science Museum London in May 2012.
Music Magic: Universe of Sound featured in Janet Street-Porter's column in The Independent.
Saturday Review on Radio 4: a team of five reviewers, including the authors Lionel Shriver and Andrew O’Hagan as well as presenter Tom Sutcliffe, discussed the installation. Review is 38 minutes in.
Learn the basics of composition by re-arranging Joby Tolbot's piece 'Worlds, Stars, Systems, Infinity' and share with your friends and family!
Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the Philharmonia Orchestra in a unique performance of Holst's 'The Planets Suite', captured in High Definition by 37 cameras. This immersive experience takes the viewer to the heart of the Philharmonia as they perform this well-loved piece, using cameras placed in a multitude of positions and angles to create an extraordinary glimpse of the orchestra at work from within. As well as 'The Planets', the filmed performances also includes a new commission by UK composer Joby Talbot, 'Worlds, Stars, Systems, Infinity'.
Additional features include a 'Making of' documentary feature, listening guide films for each planet, audio commentaries from conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and principal players of the Philharmonia and, for Blu-Ray only, a picture-in-picture option that allows a simultaneous view of the conductor and orchestra in action.
This blu-ray includes a bonus 'Making of' documentary and listening guides for each planet.
Here you can watch clips of each section of the Orchestra performing sections from The Planets.
Choose which section you'd like to see in action below and, once loaded, you'll be able to click on each video to hear what it's like to be in that part of the orchestra.
Inside Universe of Sound
Instructions
Use your mouse to navigate around our virtual installation - left click to move forward, right click to move backward. You can also click on any of the screens to play the films.
You can also view the 3D installation in fullscreen mode. Here you can use your arrow keys to move and your mouse to look around.
Hints and tips
This interactive walkthrough only works in 'WebGL' enabled browsers on computers with a functioning graphics card:
Google Chrome - version 10+
Mozilla Firefox - version 5+ (click here if you find it is not working for you)
WebGL in Mozilla Firefox does not work by default with some graphics cards, you can however force enable it. WARNING: follow these instructions at your own risk
Type 'about:config' into Firefox's address bar - take heed of the warning message that appears.
In the search box type 'webgl'
Change the setting for webgl.force-enable to true
Internet Explorer - To view in Internet Explorer please install Google Chrome Frame.
In Safari, open the Safari menu and select Preferences.
Then, click the Advanced tab in the Preferences window.
Then, at the bottom of the window, check the Show Develop menu in menu bar checkbox.
Finally, open the Develop menu in the menu bar and select Enable WebGL.
Opera - version 11+
Gustav Holst (1874–1934)
Gustav Holst was an English
composer (with a Swedish name).
As a child he learned the piano,
violin, trombone and organ,
and later became a professional
trombonist for a time, before taking
up a career as a schoolteacher
in London. He continued to teach
and compose for children’s and
amateur music groups even after
The Planets made him famous.
The Planets was composed in
1913–14 after a friend introduced
Holst to astrology, and characterises
each of the astrological planets
in turn (though not strictly in order).
It received its first public performance
in 1918 and achieved immediate
public success. Although Holst
wrote more than 200 works in total,
none ever matched the popularity
of The Planets.
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen
has been Principal Conductor and Artistic
Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra since
September 2008, continuing a relationship
that dates back almost 25 years. His tenure has
been dominated by landmark multidisciplinary
festivals, exploring the music of key twentieth century
composers and musical movements
in their widest possible cultural, social and
historical context. Salonen’s dedication
to technology, digital platforms and outreach
has been realised through his work with
the Philharmonia Orchestra on a number
of innovative projects; prior to Universe of Sound
he devised the award-winning Philharmonia
digital installation RE-RITE, which opened
in London and has toured to Lisbon, Dortmund,
Turkey and China.
Works composed by Salonen are regularly
performed and broadcast around the world.
His Violin Concerto, composed in 2009, was
awarded the 2012 University of Louisville
Grawemeyer Prize for Music Composition.
As well as Principal Conductor of the Philharmonia
Orchestra, Salonen holds the title of Conductor
Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
having been Music Director there for 17 years.
Joby Talbot has composed classical
and concert works for major
orchestras, choirs, vocal groups
and soloists, scores for film and
television, and has collaborated
with major contemporary
choreographers including Wayne
McGregor, as well as with
internationally acclaimed pop
musicians.
Film and television work includes
feature films The Hitchhiker’s Guide
to the Galaxy, Son of Rambow,
Penelope, Franklyn and Is Anybody
There? and themes and scores
for British comedy series The League
of Gentlemen and Psychoville.
Animateur Paul Rissmann presents a listening guide to the first movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, entitled "Mars, the Bringer of War".
Mercury - The Winged Messenger
Animateur Paul Rissmann presents a listening guide to the third movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, entitled "Mercury, the Winged Messenger".
Jupiter - The Bringer of Jollity
Animateur Paul Rissmann presents a listening guide to the fourth movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, entitled "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity".
Saturn - The Bringer of Old Age
Animateur Paul Rissmann presents a listening guide to the fourth movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, entitled "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity".
Uranus - The Magician
Animateur Paul Rissmann presents a listening guide to the seventh movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, entitled "Uranus, the Magician".
Neptune - The Mystic
Animateur Paul Rissmann presents a listening guide to the seventh movement of Holst's 'The Planets' suite, entitled "Neptune, the Mystic".
Information for Schools
Universe of Sound offers school pupils an immersive and imaginative means to experience the thrilling world of orchestral music, and complements the music and science curriculum across the age spectrum. The installation is FREE for school groups to visit, and is accompanied by dedicated educational resources prepared by experienced science and music professionals. Universe of Sound is suitable for all ages and levels of experience, but KS2 and KS3 are particularly likely to get the most out of a visit.
You can download a comprehensive teacher resource pack here. The pack contains background information on Holst and The Planets, as well as Joby Talbot and Worlds, Stars, Systems, Infinity, and provides many ideas for creative classroom exercises to be used before and/or after a visit to the installation. Please note that the sound excerpts referred to in the pack will appear on this website very soon.
