大象传媒

What exactly is this strange genre called sound poetry? Is it underappreciated and misunderstood? Is it just glorious gobbledygook?

鈥淔眉mms b枚 w枚 t盲盲 z盲盲 Uu, p枚giff, kwii Ee ...鈥� So opens Ursonate by Kurt Schwitters, the 40 minute work of meaningless noise in four movements - considered by many to be the greatest sound poem of all time.

A century after it was written, it endures, almost like a classic jazz standard or folk tale that experimental vocal performers feel compelled to learn and interpret as a rite of passage.

Jennifer Walshe is one of those daring performers, having recited Ursonate around the world and even 鈥渢ranslated鈥� it into Irish. One hundred years on, she wonders what secrets are held within every one of Schwitters鈥� 鈥渮ee鈥�, 鈥渢ee鈥� 鈥渨ee鈥� and 鈥渂ee鈥� sounds.

Jennifer鈥檚 guests include:
Vocalist Elaine Mitchener, who sees the political power of made-up words
Linguist Marina Yaguello, who speculates on the original, primeval language of mankind
Stand-up comedian Stewart Lee, who reflects on how alternative comedy might owe a debt to Schwitters and the Dada art movement
Composer Tomomi Adachi, who harnesses Artificial Intelligence to imagine new languages
And poet Jaap Blonk, who remembers Ursonate nearly getting him attacked.

Produced by Jack Howson
Mixed by Olga Reed
Photography by Mike Cameron/Wysing Polyphonic

A Reduced Listening production for 大象传媒 Radio 4