Galileo by Tom Johnson

Galileo (1999–2005), by Tom Johnson, performed by Pierre Berthet

Galileo refers to both the instrument and the composition. The work is based on the principle discovered by Galileo in the 17th century: the duration of a pendulum's oscillation depends only on the length of the string. Tom Johnson illustrates this with pendulums tuned according to rhythmic ratios. The environment (air, inaccuracies) makes the system fragile and limits the synchronization time. The work is therefore divided into short movements, exploring combinations of pendulums. For Tom Johnson, Galileo is a way of reading the "book of nature," following physical laws rather than imposing a musical will. He entrusted the instrument to Pierre Berthet, who performs the work regularly.