Superbloom: Music For Growing Flowers
The contemporary composer, who frequently collaborates with natural elements, was commissioned to create an original piece of music to soundtrack the floral transformation of The Tower of London. Entitled Superbloom the forthcoming installation also celebrates the Platinum Jubilee.
The project is named after a rare and incredible natural phenomenon, where whole landscapes are miraculously transformed into sheets of vibrant flowers. A “superbloom” occurs only once every few decades, when favourable weather patterns coincide and activate dormant seeds. The forthcoming ‘designed’ Superbloom event will celebrate nature by turning one of London’s most built-up areas into a blossoming, living flower field.
Find more information about the Tower Superbloom event, here
Cooper was chosen to produce an accompanying ambient soundscape for this urban garden, which was played continuously through multiple speakers, softening the noise of the city. Named Music For Growing Flowers Cooper’s acclaimed original score provided the perfect backdrop to the 20 million newly-sown flower seeds which, planted in the spring, continuously evolved from June to September 2022, changing colours and patterns throughout the summer. For the first time, a space dug and filled with water in the 13th century to keep people out of the Tower will, from June 2022, welcome visitors in, with Cooper’s music completing the immersive experience.
“Music For Growing Flowers’ aims to enhance the Superbloom’s emotional impact by rebalancing the dominant city noises and intertwining specific audio frequencies to uncover harmony in the most bustling environments. Since music itself is nothing more than vibrations, perhaps it will help us enter more deeply into this subtle appreciation of place, curiosity and calm” Erland.
Music For Growing Flowers was also released digitally and physically as a full 12” LP including a limited edition packet of wild flower seeds.