Q&A Chaired by Adam Jones

Music Stones: The Rediscovery Of Ringing Rock is a fascinating account of the surprising and little-known ways in which stone has been used to create music. The use of stone instruments (lithophones) is thought to date back to prehistoric times, but here the focus is on a more recent interest being shown in the sound of stone. This all began in 1785, when Peter Crosthwaite, from Keswick in England’s Lake District, assembled his set of Music Stones, collected from the foot of Mount Skiddaw.

From the 1840s onwards a succession of so-called rock bands from Keswick were inspired to produce bigger and better instruments and perform widely on them, including, in one case, playing at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria. The story continues into the twentieth century when, in 1949, the unearthing of an ancient set of tuned stone slabs in Vietnam, led to a revival of interest in lithophones in that country.

A connection is also made between the sound of stone and the process of stone-carving, with particular reference to the work of Barbara Hepworth, as well as other sculptors such as Pinuccio Sciola, who was to become known internationally for his sound sculptures. Another focus is on the world of experimental music, in which some musicians and composers, keen to challenge ideas of what might constitute a musical instrument, have explored a range of geological possibilities, from vast rocky landscapes through to tiny pebbles. In the final chapter, a selection of contemporary practitioners write about their own musical involvement with the sound of stone.

Foreword by Dame Evelyn Glennie.

Mike Adcock, having obtained a degree in art history, spent ten years as an art college lecturer before deciding to pursue a career in music: playing, composing, teaching and writing on the subject. He has released many recordings, both solo and in collaboration with other musicians, particularly in the field of free improvisation. Mike has had articles and papers published on different aspects of music and music education, including ‘The Ancient Stone Instruments of Vietnam’ (Time & Mind 2017) and currently writes reviews for the online magazine Roots World. He sometimes makes his own instruments, using broken roof slates.

ADAM JONES:
Adam has been a freelance arts journalist for the past 15 years. He has a passion for experimental music and literature in translation. His work has been published in Wales Arts Review, Buzz Magazine, Good on Paper and the Hong Kong Review of Books. When not writing about culture he can be found in the garden, or somewhere listening to Radio 3.