
Did we really throw instruments in the air?
Yes, we have! The clip for tonhalleAIR shows the reality - at least almost.
It was a sunny day last September when a small crew from the management team set off in the direction of Opfikon. Firstly, their destination was the Au sports ground - and secondly, a video clip for tonhalleAIR, which was to look really light and airy. The team envisioned white clouds against a blue sky and instruments flying through it.
But are instruments allowed to be thrown around? Musicians would undoubtedly shake their heads in unison at this question. And yet real instruments should be used - an orchestra playing analogue music on the Münsterhof deserves something more genuine than an AI-generated clip. And they actually found what they were looking for: Musik Hug provided a children's cello that had already passed through too many hands to be rented out. And a barely playable clarinet was found for a few francs on an online platform.
The cello and clarinet (and a battered horn, which will be shown in another clip) were catapulted into the air with the sheet; you can see how this worked in our making-of clip. The cardboard boxes cushioned the landing. And the sunglasses were necessary to keep an eye on the action. Because, after all: It was a sunny day.
Almost too sunny, the film maker Marek Beles thought afterwards. The clouds that had been hoped for as a subject had not materialised that day - and had to be brought into the picture with a bit of computer art. But the light, the air, the joy of the instruments whirling through the air: it's all real, guaranteed!
Weather wishes for tonhalleAIR
Speaking of clouds: a sky like the one in the clip would actually be perfect for tonhalleAIR. Because the instruments, which are not thrown but played in the orchestra, don't particularly like extreme weather conditions. Unusual temperatures can lead to tuning problems, and even damage could occur: In very high heat and direct sunlight, the varnish on string instruments can blister and the glue can soften. Rain is also not ideal, and not just for the audience.
For this reason, great care is taken during the preparations for the festival to ensure that the instruments are exposed to the weather as little as possible. The stage is covered and the distances to the cloakrooms are kept as short as possible. Previous open-air experiences in Zurich and Shanghai have shown that this works: The orchestra has experienced almost everything in terms of climate - and both the musicians and the instruments have survived unscathed.