The Beat of a Different Drum

Joseph Bertolozzi is a composer who’s no stranger to taking on BIG projects. He proved bridges have a musical voice with his Bridge Music project, by composing a tune on the Mid-Hudson Bridge (2007).

I am inspired by people who don’t just think outside the box, they live there. People who follow Walt Disney’s credo of “…doing the impossible is fun.”

The Mid-Hudson Bridge project was just a start. His true goal was to play the Eiffel Tower. Never mind that he didn’t have any contacts in Paris and doesn’t speak French. Bertolozzi wrote to the Mayor of Paris with his proposal of using the Eiffel Tower as an instrument on which to compose music. He convinced the Mayor he was a legitimate  musician with the results of his Bridge Music project. Four years later, Joseph Bertolozzi stood on the Eiffel Tower conducting the architectural monument in its first symphony.

The following video provides glimpses into Bertolozzi’s creative process. He uses a variety of percussion tools on different surfaces throughout the structure, from traditional drum sticks, to a wooden log, and even a rain wheel. He samples the unique sounds, then weaves them together to create the Eiffel Tower’s symphony.

Making the Eiffel Tower Sing