Electronic Music

[Bryn]

Currently listening to The Room Extended on youtube, where it was uploaded t'other week.

Have you encountered Brian Olewnick's biographical portrait of Keith with the same title? I eventually got it this week (delivered Wednesday). Some aspects do not entirely reflect my recollections of some events and groupings but these could be down to my being more closely involved with those particular situations than Keith was. They are minor discrepancies, anyway. In general, it seems well researched and illuminates aspects of Keith's life I was quite unfamiliar with, having known him since 1969.

[Joseph K]

Have you encountered Brian Olewnick's biographical portrait of Keith with the same title?

No - and I'm afraid to say I didn't get too far into the musical piece The Room Extended, it seemed a bit ambient for my tastes...

[Mandryka]

Have you encountered Brian Olewnick's biographical portrait of Keith with the same title? I eventually got it this week (delivered Wednesday). Some aspects do not entirely reflect my recollections of some events and groupings but these could be down to my being more closely involved with those particular situations than Keith was. They are minor discrepancies, anyway. In general, it seems well researched and illuminates aspects of Keith's life I was quite unfamiliar with, having known him since 1969.

I was wondering whether to buy this book. Does it discuss his aesthetic ideas?

[Bryn]

I was wondering whether to buy this book. Does it discuss his aesthetic ideas?

Oh, indeed it does. The opening 'motto', by the way, is from David Tudor: "If you don't know, why do you ask?" Two things lacking, however, are a table of contents and chapter headings. Navigation needs to be sequential, via the index (rather scant on concepts) or by serendipity.

Pages 183 et seq, but the way, are particularly relevant to the current stage of this thread.

[Mandryka]

Oh, indeed it does. The opening 'motto', by the way, is from David Tudor: "If you don't know, why do you ask?" Two things lacking, however, are a table of contents and chapter headings. Navigation needs to be sequential, via the index (rather scant on concepts) or by serendipity.

Pages 183 et seq, but the way, are particularly relevant to the current stage of this thread.

I'll buy it, but poor indexing is a big problem. In the old days indexing was expensive, but now it must be really easy.

[Quarky]

Thought it'd be worth copying and pasting this over onto this thread -

I didn't know where to put this little announcement so I guess here is as good a place as any. Over on the "What are you Practising/Composing" thread I've been banging on about this work in progress for a few weeks now, and it's no longer in progress. For those who haven't seen the other thread: this is an album consisting of five new electronic compositions, each of which is based on an improvisational solo specially recorded by one of five instrumentalists: Daryl Buckley (electric lap steel guitar), Ivana Grahovac (cello), Lori Freedman (bass clarinet), Anne La Berge (flute) and Lê Quan Ninh (percussion). Released a few minutes ago on the STRANGE STRINGS label. I hope some of you will listen and enjoy.

https://richardbarrett.bandcamp.com/...binary-systems


I'm currently on the penultimate track and can already highly recommend it! Such fantastic sounds & forms are conjured.

After a little delay, I'm now up to speed on this music. Great stuff!

Now ready to move on, but whether it will be forwards, backwards, side ways, or just stay where I am, I'll have to wait and see......

[Joseph K]

After a little delay, I'm now up to speed on this music. Great stuff!

Fantastic, isn't it? I currently have the flute one on, which I think is my favourite at the moment.

[Quarky]

Fantastic, isn't it? I currently have the flute one on, which I think is my favourite at the moment.

Yes - Intelligible comments to follow. Watch this space.......

[Quarky]

Yes - Intelligible comments to follow. Watch this space.......

OK, still working my way through binary systems, when time permits. Initially I made a mis-judgement in playing the album end to end, which was too much to take on board. As Richard states in his notes "Each piece is an individual musical organism with its own structural/expressive character, as suggested by the various titles which derive from astronomical and/or mythological sources"

Now concentrating on each individual piece, one at a time. Joseph mentioned the Flute piece in #247:: "Albireo is entirely derived from Anne’s flute recordings, whose poise on the threshold between distinct and indistinct sound is itself microscopically explored in the duo composition. Its title is the name of a double star in the constellation of Cygnus, whose components may or may not actually be close enough together to orbit around each other, although one of these components is itself a close binary system." I can imagine high frequency tweets between the stars.

Current favourite is the bass-clarinet piece Lakhesis ...

[Joseph K]

OK, still working my way through binary systems, when time permits. Initially I made a mis-judgement in playing the album end to end, which was too much to take on board. As Richard states in his notes "Each piece is an individual musical organism with its own structural/expressive character, as suggested by the various titles which derive from astronomical and/or mythological sources"

Now concentrating on each individual piece, one at a time. Joseph mentioned the Flute piece in #247:: "Albireo is entirely derived from Anne’s flute recordings, whose poise on the threshold between distinct and indistinct sound is itself microscopically explored in the duo composition. Its title is the name of a double star in the constellation of Cygnus, whose components may or may not actually be close enough together to orbit around each other, although one of these components is itself a close binary system." I can imagine high frequency tweets between the stars.

Current favourite is the bass-clarinet piece Lakhesis ...

I've just finished listening to the cello one - Izar. A veritable orchestra is conjured between two people... which near the beginning summons many descending string glissandos, then with drone-like repeating sparkly synth sounds that accompany the more-recognisably (but transformed) cello ones and vice versa... things intensify - specifically, the oscillating synth sounds... and then, after a moment or two of apparent violence, things settle down... with more beautiful synth-type polyphonic sounds accompanying the cello and vice versa. It's great, with each section overlapping and following and flowing on like a transformed form of that which preceded it. One can talk about there being a harmonic language, particular textural features etc. and yet the music exists in more dimensions than that.

I was going to listen to something by Pauline Oliveros, the last person I've yet to check out on the list Richard B gave on the first page, but instead I've listened to Izar three times in a row!

[Joseph K]

I've not long finished listening to Pauline Oliveros's Lear, and am currently listening to her composition lone - both pieces are very meditative.

[Quarky]

I've just finished listening to the cello one - Izar. A veritable orchestra is conjured between two people... which near the beginning summons many descending string glissandos, then with drone-like repeating sparkly synth sounds that accompany the more-recognisably (but transformed) cello ones and vice versa... things intensify - specifically, the oscillating synth sounds... and then, after a moment or two of apparent violence, things settle down... with more beautiful synth-type polyphonic sounds accompanying the cello and vice versa. It's great, with each section overlapping and following and flowing on like a transformed form of that which preceded it. One can talk about there being a harmonic language, particular textural features etc. and yet the music exists in more dimensions than that.

I was going to listen to something by Pauline Oliveros, the last person I've yet to check out on the list Richard B gave on the first page, but instead I've listened to Izar three times in a row!

...... still listening.....

[Mandryka]

Anyone explored Francisco Lopez? He seems to have 100s of CDs, some very quiet indeed, some really hypnotic field recordings.

[Quarky]

Another tool in my listening toolkit - Wireless Earphones!

It has solved the problem of listening while doing my daily yoga stretches, without incurring the wrath of my partner; How can you listen to such **** !!^%##??? . I can now turn the volume up as far as I want, and hear nuances which previously went missing.

[Richard Barrett]

Anyone explored Francisco Lopez? He seems to have 100s of CDs, some very quiet indeed, some really hypnotic field recordings.

I know Francisco and his work although I can't say that I've explored his releases very extensively, partly because field recordings don't excite me much. He and I both contributed new compositions to a concert programme by the Dutch ensemble Modelo62 a few years ago so I had a chance to hear his piece a few times and found it very engaging (it was played in total darkness as is his general practice). I don't know whether there are plans to make a recording available.