Creation of a strange Symphony shows a performing glassblower using a rather unusual glassblowing instrument, which embodies an allegory between craft and music. In the glass it produceds a peculiar aesthetic is brought to live.
Pivotal to this film-project, was the filmmakers desire to discover and study the world of a glassblower. In an old crystal factory at the outskirts of Liege, Belgium, Philipp Weber was able to watch the glassblower Christophe Genard working with the hot matter.
He questioned himself, "How can I inspire the craftsman's interest and provoke his willingness to work with me?" and so he became aware of the glassblowers most important tool, the glassblowing pipe, a one and a half meter long steel pipe. In the past 2000 years there have been made only minor alterations to the pipe with no effect to the change of the material.
"Thus what would happen to the glass, if form and function of this tool would undergo crucial changes? And how would Christophes flow of work adapt to a new pipe?".
With initial prototypes of new glassblowing pipes, which took influence on the shape of the material and allured Christophe to work with Philipp, the filmmaker came closer to the mystery of glassblowing. The rhythmical characteristics in the work and the associated drama, which were looming within the process of glassblowing, left a resonating impression on him.
As if his perception was unveiled he experienced a meaningful shift in perspective. The glassblowing pipe, as a tool for glass production, all of a sudden much rather appeared to be like an instrument to Philipp, with which the glassblower plays his glassy melody in virtuosity.
The filmmaker could not resist the wit of the idea to translate the functional appliance of the musical instrument "trumpet" into the sparse looking crafts instrument, the blowpipe.
The idea arose to became his vision and he started with the design of the "Glassblowing Instrument".
Shortly after, the transformation began. With the help of an engineer and the knowledge, as well as the experience of the preceding experiments for a totally new tool, he now created an instrument, which was to inspire the craftsman to compose music in form of glass.
During the practical application of the new instrument, the "Glassblowing Instrument" proved itself to have ambiguous functions.
On one hand it was leading Christophe, the glassblower, into a playful freedom, on the other hand it had an idiosyncratic effect on the gestalt of the glass, depending on how the glassblower used the valves.
This performance with glass, a glowing concert, which Philipp was now witnessing in front of him, touched him and he decided to express it in form of a short-movie.
Together with a team of glassblower, engineer, cameramen and musician, he provided a showcase for the music and the drama hidden inside the process of glassblowing.
A showcase, reflecting the vivd play of Christophe, the glassblower, with the "Glassblowing Instrument" in a cinematographic expierence.

1987 born in the town of Münster in the west of Germany

2008-2012 studied and graduated at the Design Academy Eindhoven in the department of 'Man and Leisure'; during his studies Philipp explored a variety of media and materials; 'Creation of a strange Symphony' outlines his interest in different creative fields, since he was engaged in the creation of a technical instrument for glassblowing, shape studies of glass and the making of his first short film.