The Triforium is the name of a six story 60 ton public sculpture in the Los Angeles Mall Civic Center complex, located at the intersection of Temple and Main Streets in Downtown Los Angeles. The Mall's architect Robert Stockwell commissioned artist Joseph Young to create the sculpture and it was installed in 1975. Young's original plans called for the piece to be a Kinetic sculpture, which would use motion sensors and a computer controlled system to detect and translate the motions of passerby into patterns of light and sound displayed by the prisms and carillon. Young predicted that his artwork would eventually become know as "the Rosetta Stone of art and technology" and bragged that it was the world's first "polyphonoptic" tower. He also said that the Triforium was a tribute to the unfinished, kaleidoscopic nature of Los Angeles. In the original concept, Young intended for the sculpture to project laser beams into space, which would have made it the world's first astronomical beacon. Budgetary restrictions, however, curtailed this design element. The initial cost of the sculpture was $925,000 and it was dedicated on December 12, 1975 although an electrical snafu delayed the musical portion's debut. The Triforium incorporates three two-legged concrete pillars, each supporting a bank of multicolored glass prisms (1,494 in all), as well as a Gerhard Finkenbeiner electronic 79 note glass bell carillon with two octaves of English bells, and two octaves of Flemish bells, which were synchronized to lighting effects contained within the glass prisms. Meant to play "everything from Beethoven to the Bee Gees", the carillon was operated manually, or by computer.

triforium , downtown los angeles, Councilwoman Jan Perry turning it on

musical art sculpture by Joseph Young Los Angeles Downtown

A Los Angeles Art piece rings at 11:00 AM as we approach. It is located in the Civic Center of downtown Los Angeles, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triforium_(Los_Angeles)

The Peragallo Organ company (who built my church organ) have the contract to tune the St. Patrick's V/150 Kilgen, and I had the unique opportunity to see the Gallery Organ and actually play the organ- reeds and all. This is a short clip of the 8' Triforium Trumpet on 18 inches (although that day the reservoir was busted, and it was less imposing). I will state I am an amateur and am by no means perfect. So save any degrading comments please. Thanks.

38080 LA TRIK ISLE D'ABEAU LA TRIK Triforium en force et Fonbo¨

Another short clip, this time with the Nave Principal chorus on Choir. Mark, the tuner tossed in the 8' Triforium Trumpet. Thanks again to the Peragallo Company!

triforium