Like Elvis, robots have left the building

July 25th, 2008 fay

I just wanted to warm you all up by saying WELL DONE…thanks. Lian, a spectator

The show is over. The robots have gone, leaving the Palm House to the resident robin, and there is hardly a trace of the 600 black bamboo poles now neatly stacked and waiting to be installed in the woodland garden of the proud new owner. But as we prepare our report for the Scottish Arts Council we are enjoying comments from audience and bloggers and thought you might like to see some of them too. And thanks to Lian Cassie for her lovely picture of Chang dancing in the rain.

Scottish weather eh! What a shame about the rain as it was such a brilliant idea for an event.
Fraser

How much I enjoyed Saturday night. It was shame about the weather but I was very impressed that so many people endured it – and I think the extreme wet (once I accepted it) lent something very special and memorable to the proceedings. The smells were incredible and I don’t think they would have been nearly as apparent in the bawdy Edinburgh evening sunshine! And the memory of the Chang Zhang dancing in costume in the lashing rain will remain with me for a long time. Very beautiful. Well done to everyone involved. We need more of these kinds of happenings….
Colin

My heart went out to the organisers and performers, they did so well “the show must go on” hope they went home to central heating and warm drink! thanks for a truly unique experience in many ways.
Maggie

Thank u, thank u, thank u. We had a v special time 2nite. I reckon I’ve got at least a few really good pics, and some of th@ bloke with the heart-stopping voice.
Nick

Last Saturday was fantastic even with the rain. It was a pity not to have the warm balminess of midsummer (ha ha!) but the noise of the rain actually enhanced the music.
Celia

Thanks for an impressive event. H20 element just didn’t want left out!
Kim

Hello I am just writing to you to thank everyone for the enormous effort in making the Mid Summer Evening as enjoyable as possible despite the rain. There was obviously a lot of effort went into the preperation of celebrating Mid Summers Evening with everyone concerned from the musicians, performers, and to the park rangers, everyone played thier part in good spirits even if they were more than a little damp I just wanted to warm you all up by saying WELL DONE Take Care, God Bless and Thank You all again Lian

Both of the installations have been really enjoyed by the public and were great pieces that really enhanced the spaces they were in – staff have also said how much they enjoyed dancing round in the palmhouse when no one was looking!! Rosie

And from the bloggers…

I think the traditional Chinese music gained something through being played in the storm. The hum of the rain was like a backing track, which bedded very well underneath the stringed notes.

Rob
www.robsharp.co.uk

The Intercultural Music & Arts Project (iMAP) staged a magnificent ground breaking event in the soft summer rain of Midsummer’s Eve in Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden.
Nick

www.leithandnorth.org.uk

Last weekend I went to the Royal Botanic Gardens. I was prompted to go there to see and hear a couple of installations, together called “Dialogues of Wind and Bamboo”. In the Palm House, I listened to the wind part of “Wind and Bamboo”: a gentle musical installation played on traditional Chinese instruments automatically, using programmed (the leaflet says “robotic”) machines to pluck strings and strike percussion. It was very peaceful, and rather lovely. There is a podcast of the pieces available.

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