Luigi Russolo was an Italian painter, composer, and one of the key figures in the Futurist movement. He is often called the “father of noise music.”
In 1913, Russolo published his manifesto L’Arte dei Rumori (The Art of Noises).He argued that traditional orchestral music was outdated for the modern, industrial world. He believed that urban sounds—machines, engines, factories—were the new music of the future.
To realize this vision, Russolo created the intonarumori, a family of mechanical noise-generating instruments.
Each wooden box, fitted with levers, cranks, and horns, imitated different industrial sounds (roars, buzzes, whistles, hisses).
Categories included, Rumbles (rombi); Crackles (crepitii); Whistles (sibili); Explosions (scoppi).Performers could modulate pitch, rhythm, and intensity.
The first concerts in 1914 (Milan) provoked riots—audiences were shocked or outraged by the assault of mechanical noise.
Later performances in Paris drew the attention of avant-garde artists and composers, influencing the trajectory of experimental music.
Most of Russolo’s original intonarumori were lost or destroyed (many during WWII). However, reconstructions in the late 20th century allowed modern audiences to hear his ideas. His manifesto and instruments inspired:
Musique concrète (Pierre Schaeffer); John Cage and avant-garde experimentalists; noise, industrial, and electronic music genres