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Presto, Perfect Sound

Manon de Boer

35mm/video installation, color, 4:3, dolby surround, GB, 2006, 6’

Manon de Boer’s film Presto, Perfect Sound depicts composer and violinist, George Van Dam, performing Béla Bartok’s sonata for violin solo, Presto.
De Boer filmed George van Dam six times playing the whole piece while at the same time recording the sound. In order to achieve the ‘perfect’ soundtrack, she gave George van Dam the six sound recordings and asked him to reconstruct the Bartok piece into a perfect sound piece. Afterwards De Boer synchronized the filmed image to this soundtrack. The jump-cuts in the image visualize the cuts in the sound, while the sound sounds continuous.
In allowing the audio sequence to dictate the image on screen, de Boer inverts the traditional dominance of image over sound in cinema. The film is a meditation on the relationship between sound and image and offers an intense reflection on a moment of creative concentration.

Music Sonata for Solo Violin, Sz117, Presto (version with micro-intervals) by Béla Bartok
Performed by George van Dam
Image Christophe Bouckaert
Sound recording Jarek Frankowski, Bastien Gilson (acoustic recordings)
Sound editing George van Dam, Jarek Frankowski & Bastien Gilson
Final sound mixing Manu de Boissieu (Alea Jacta Post-Production)
Grading Roger Veroenen
Executive producer Julien Sigalas
Produced by Manon de Boer

Presto, Perfect Sound has been on display at the following locations:

Kunsthaus Zürich, (CH) Sep 22 2023–Jan 14 2024 Art Cinema OFFoff Gent, (BE) Monday, Mar 14 2022 Einfache Projektionen Sankt-Gallen, (CH) Apr 7–Apr 20 2021 Calouste Gulbenkian Museum Lisbon, (PT) Saturday, Feb 1 2020 Secession Vienna, (AT) Jul 1–Aug 28 2016 LUX London, (GB) Wednesday, Oct 7 2015 Performatik Brussel, (BE) Friday, Mar 20 2015 Stadtkino Vienna, (AT) Saturday, Nov 22 2014 Doclisboa Lisboa, (PT) Oct 24–Oct 25 2014 Fogo Island Arts Fogo Island, (CA) Friday, Oct 3 2014 MARCO, Museo de Arte Contemporánea de Vigo, (ES) Jul 11 2014–Jan 11 2015 Centre d'Art Contemporain Geneva, (CH) Jun 5–Jul 21 2013 Museum M Leuven, (BE) Thursday, Apr 11 2013 Art Brussels - ING Brussel, (BE) Apr 19–Apr 22 2012 Peuple & Culture Marseille, (FR) Thursday, Feb 9 2012 MAS Antwerpen, (BE) May 17 2011–Dec 30 2012 Loop Festival, La Pedrera Barcelona, (ES) Monday, May 2 2011 Mudam Luxemburg, (LU) Feb 17–May 22 2011 Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, (US) Jan 21–May 1 2011 M HKA Antwerpen, (BE) Mar 19–Sep 19 2010 Wiels Brussels, (BE) Saturday, Oct 3 2009 Netwerk Aalst, (BE) Thursday, Sep 24 2009 Lentos Museum Linz, (AT) Aug 28 2009–Jan 10 2010 National Museum Singapore, (SG) Aug 13–Oct 4 2009 Shanghai Art Museum Shanghai, (CN) Apr 30–Jun 21 2009 tranzitdisplay gallery Prague, (CZ) Dec 9 2008–Feb 8 2009 Museum of Art Seoul, (KR) Sep 12–Nov 5 2008 Pecci Museum of Prato Florence, (IT) Aug 28–Sep 14 2008 Louise Blouin Institute London, (GB) Monday, Jul 7 2008 Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, (DE) Tuesday, Jul 1 2008 Flagey Brussels, (BE) Sunday, Apr 27 2008 artefact festival, STUK Leuven, (BE) Feb 12–Feb 17 2008 Frankfurter Kunstverein Frankfurt, (DE) Feb 7–Apr 27 2008 deBuren Brussels, (BE) Wednesday, Dec 19 2007 Platforma Athens, (GR) Dec 7–Dec 12 2007 Argos Brussels, (BE) Oct 16–Oct 20 2007 Happy New Ears Kortrijk, (DE) Saturday, Sep 22 2007 Bios Athens, (GR) Thursday, Sep 13 2007 FID Marseille, (FR) Jul 4–Jul 6 2007 MuHKA_media Antwerpen, (BE) Jun 6–Jun 27 2007 Gradisca international film studies spring school Gradisca, (IT) Mar 26–Mar 27 2007