Acoustic Space and Sound Environment: The Philosophy and Aesthetics of Soundscapes on the Example of Metropolis Balticum (Urbana Landscape)

The starting point for the considerations presented in this article is the extensive composition Metropolis Balticum (Urbana Landscape) by Dariusz Mazurowski, consisting of eight parts that depict multidimensional interactions with space, combining field recordings with compositional thinking. The city emerges as a musical instrument, and the recorded sounds serve as the primary material for further transformations. The practice of artistic field recordings allows for the distinction of three coexisting types of space: actual, imagined, and created. This division is discussed in the context of selected transformations in acoustic spaces that have emerged in philosophy, aesthetics, and cultural studies. In light of these discussions, Metropolis Balticum can be interpreted as an expression of contemporary interest in space understood as a transformable realm, shaped by multisensory cognitive activities. The article addresses both philosophical, aesthetic, and conceptual issues, as well as more practical aspects, including the process of realizing the mentioned composition.