Dennis Báthory-Kitsz
My Original Instruments

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• See "Killer", my rare Ionic Industries Performer synth from 1973.
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Many of my original instruments survive, but the majority do not. Here are some photos and descriptions.

	Clavichord. Cherry, spruce, and other woods, with serigraph inlay. 1968. Sold; pictured with singer Linda Kay, ca. 1970; no full photo survives. Built for personal use. See a detail. See another photo.
	Early Electronic Instruments. 1969-1973. All reused and then lost; no photos known to exist. Built for numerous compositions, including syne-4. The only surviving composition using these instruments is Construction in Sliding Tones (1970)
	Juicedrum. Juice cans on fir frame. 1971. Original lost; no photos known to exist. Built for Withered, and rebuilt in 2002 for a reprise performance. See a detail. The Juicedrum can be heard in Withered (1971)
	Rose Organ. Roses and oscillators. 1973. Wilted. Built for Trans/Media Minifest. Although a site recording exists, I have not yet remounted and copied this very old tape.
	Bellzebub. Brass bells on fir frame. 1975. Dismantled; no photos known to exist. Built for several pieces at the Trans/Media Benefit Concert. A concert recording exists and will be posted when available.
	Chimes I & II. Glass chimes on fir frame. 1975. Dismantled; no photos known to exist; original plans shown here became chimes for Plasm over ocean. Built for Cy-gît. See a larger version of the original plans. No recordings of this instrument were made.
	Headbuzzer. Supersonic oscillators and control surfaces. 1975. Dismantled Built for Caution:MergingEnvironments. No recordings of this installation were made.
	Fortepiano. Maple, cherry and spruce. 1976. Destroyed; no photos known to exist
	Brass chimes. Brass on fir frame. 1976. Dismantled. Now a wind chime in Roxbury, Vermont. Built for Plasm over ocean; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image.
	Glass chimes. Laboratory glass on fir frame. 1976. Dismantled. Glass rods now in storage. Body burned. Built for Plasm over ocean; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image.
	Hharp. Maple, spruce, and plexiglas. 1977. Damaged but intact. Built for Plasm over ocean; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image. See the original plans.
	Glassharmonica. Bowls, candles and resonators. 1977. Never built. Intended for Plasm over ocean. See a larger version of the original plans.
	Gong. Brass with silkscreen (not yet applied in this 1977 photo). 1977. In storage. Built for Plasm over ocean; a recording can be heard on that site. See the silkscreen by Trevor Bryant in 2003 photo.
	Uncello. Maple, plexiglas, and glass. 1977. Destroyed. Built for Plasm over ocean; a recording can be heard on that site (second movement is best). See a larger image. See another larger image. See the original plans. Four images from Livingston High School, New Jersey, where the students built a replica of the uncello in oak, the "MolCello". It was built using the original plans, rather than the final design: The finished oak outside frame Attaching a small resonator bowl The finished instrument, trying different resonators Playing the MolCello with a wooden resonator
	Defrocked autoharp. 1978. In storage; no photos yet taken. Built for Missa da Camera. The Defrocked Autharp can be heard in the Credo from Missa da Camera (1978)
	Miniharp. Maple and mahogany. 1978. Whereabouts unknown. Built for Ash Wednesday. The Miniharp can be heard in Ash Wednesday (1983)
	Monofilament. Organ pipe and fishing line, with cello bow. 1978. Dismantled. Built for Christian Wolff in Hanover and also used in Echo; a recording can be heard on that site.
	Ovarian Xylophone. Birch trunk, maple, and fresh eggs, with contact microphone. 1978. Burned. Built for Christian Wolff in Hanover. See a detail. A recording of this instrument exists, and will be posted when available.
	Buzzophone. Fir and buzzers. 1978. Whereabouts unknown. Built for Christian Wolff in Hanover. A recording of this instrument exists, and will be posted when available.
	Exlophon. Maple on fir and rope frame. 1981. Burned. No recording of this instrument exists.
	Triangulum. Maple and spruce. 1981. In storage. Built for Echo; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image.
	Xsynface, analog/digital circuits and plastic case. 1981. In storage.
	Rhythmatron, analog/digital circuits and copper-clad board case, with handmade keyboard. 1982. Lost. Built for David Gunn's Armies of Mice. See a detail of the circuit area A recording was made and will be posted when found.
	Organism. Maple, cherry, and lucite, with 37 tuned oscillators. 1983. In storage; to be restored; photo here shows lucite pipes (inset). Built for Ash Wednesday. See a detail of the speakers. The Organism an be heard in Ash Wednesday (1983)
	Nighthawk. Computers and light sensors with intelligent algorithms. 1984. Dismantled. Built for Nighthawk and also used in Echo and In Bocca al Lupo; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image of this composite photo. See the original block diagram. See the mirror coat used to trigger the original Nighthawk. The Nighthawk can be heard in In Bocca al Lupo (1986)
	Mirrorgarden. Mirrors and sunlight, with hurricane lamp. 1985. In storage. Built for Permutrance V. See a larger image.
	Candleharp. Plexiglas and circuits, with candles in lucite frame. 1985. Lost in house fire when on loan. Built for Echo; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image. See the original circuit diagram of one module. See the original circuit layout of one module. See the Echo program with a photocopy of an Candleharp module.
	The Infernal Machine. Fir and pulleys with attached hand-percussion instruments. 1985. Dismantled and burned. Built for Echo; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image.
	Windharp. Maple, brass and mahogany. 1985. Whereabouts unknown. Built for Echo; a recording can be heard on that site. See a larger image. See the original Windharp plans.
	Jingles. Tongue depresser, string, and washers. 1985. Given to audience; these three left on the floor, with washers missing. 100 pieces made for Echo; a recording can be heard on that site.
	Forkklang. Maple and spruce with identical tuning forks. 1994. Damaged, in storage. Built for Unisons. See a detail. The Forkklang can be heard in Unisons (1994)
	Diskklang. Fir and hard disks. 1994. Dismantled, in storage. Built for Unisons. See a detail. The Diskklang can be heard in Unisons (1994)

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