Still from when playing the Stringed Stirrups at Tou Scene, Ny Musikk, Stavanger, Norway, 2002. Then, when you click play, you will see me briefly explain (in swedish) how I got the idea to the Stringed Stirrups, in front of a recording from Oslo Impro '97. Then, a clip where I perform the Stringed Stirrups at MAF/Ungdomens Hus on Högriskfestivalen, Malmö, '02. For best sound, please use good speakers or headphones! Those good low notes don't come through on small computer speakers...
[Bergmark playing the Stringed Stirrups]
Photo from video © by Alejandro Vega-Fredes at HDK, Göteborg '95.

The Stringed Stirrups (formerly called the Angel Strings) have (like the butter bass) loose piano strings going through loops on a resonator - the resonator is tied around my chest. I am giving tension to the two strings standing in the lower end stirrups, thus hanging suspended from the ceiling in the strings. It is played with two bows and specially made wooden beaters. Sometimes the longitudinal vibrations of the strings are excited with rosined gloves. It is amplified with a contact microphone.

[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Helsinki]
Playing the Stringed Stirrups at Exit International Festival for Unusual Live Performances in Helsinki, Finland.
[Closeup of the Stringed Stirrups]
A closer look at the instrument itself, from Bomuldsfabriken, Arendal, Norway.
[Bergmark playing the Stringed Stirrups]
Bergmark playing the Stringed Stirrups in OSLO IMPRO 1997, photo © by Gudrun Edel-Rösnes.
[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Bandung]
[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Bandung]
From the festival B+PAC in Bandung, Indonesia april 2004; photos © by Arai Shin-ichi, Japan.
[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Malmö]
From a performance at
 [Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Malmö]
Dansstationen, Malmö.
[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Linköping]
From a performance at
 [Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Linköping]
Alka, Linköping.
[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Reykjavik]
From a performance at
 [Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Reykjavik]
Nordic Music Days in Reykjavik, Iceland '06. Here I use bows.
[Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Reykjavik]
From a performance at
 [Playing the Stringed Stirrups in Reykjavik]
Nordic Music Days in Reykjavik, Iceland '06. Here I use beaters.

Look at a performance with the Stringed Stirrups in streaming video from the Splintermind web page! At about 8 minutes, something dramatic happens... This is from a Lava, Kulturhuset concert, Stockholm 2001. [The link doesn't work right now, I'm checking out how to find this clip at present.]

Listen to the Stringed Stirrups in Real Audio.

From 8th OKNO international meetings of young theatre 2004 (part 2) (at Teatr Kana, Szczecin, pl). From 1'52 to 2'33 a clip from "Stringed Stirrups".
The Gallery
Updated the 31st of January 2010.