Moon Organ

The Moon Organ is a large-scale landscape-embedded instrument inspired by the water organs of ancient Rome, as well as contemporary water organs as built in Croatia. As the tide roars in, water pushes air through pipes embedded in the cliff at regular vertical intervals. These pipes direct the air through a series of wind boxes and controlled valves to a total of eighty-nine pipes on top of the rock foundation. The name is derived from the body that manipulates the tide, the moon.

A composer takes up residence at the Moon Organ and “programs” a composition. Through a system of valves, the composer is able to control at which tidal elevation each pipe begins sounding. It is located at Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick, an area along the coast of the Bay of Fundy where the tide has eroded the cliff into balancing rock formations.