Julius Eastman (1940-1990)

[Serial_Apologist]

From the opening programme's RT blurb:

When this week's composer died homeless and alone in 1990, almost no one knew - not even his friends - and his work threatened to disappear with him. A gay black man in the mainly straight white world of new music, Eastman was a ground-breaking yet misunderstood musician. He collaborated with Pierre Boulez, Peter Maxwell Davies and Meredith Monk, and his provocative musical voice, which fused minimalism with pop and the avant-garde, was inextricably linked to his identity politics. This week, Donald Macleod shares his story, with insights from America's baritone Davóne Tines. Broadcast as part of the BBC's Black History Monthy.

[Serial_Apologist]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00108fj

[Serial_Apologist]

Just bumping this up, in order to create more replies, thereby hopefully creating an impression of interest hereabouts in this very interesting-looking series on a composer previously unknown to me this week!

[Bryn]

Just bumping this up, in order to create more replies, thereby hopefully creating an impression of interest hereabouts in this very interesting-looking series on a composer previously unknown to me this week!

Now that surprises me. Right up your street, I would have thought.

More info here: https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/shop/juliu...elves-tonal-t/

[Serial_Apologist]

Now that surprises me. Right up your street, I would have thought.

More info here: https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/shop/juliu...elves-tonal-t/

It promises to be, by the looks of it, so thanks, Bryn.

[DracoM]

Sorry, but so far, it comes over as second class B-film music.

[ardcarp]

Judging by the opening piece, he seems to have veered towards minimalism. I'm afraid that however talented the guy is, endless repetition just gets me down. The piano piece which came second in playing order was altogether more interesting, so maybe I'll give him another go tomorrow.

[Serial_Apologist]

Judging by the opening piece, he seems to have veered towards minimalism. I'm afraid that however talented the guy is, endless repetition just gets me down. The piano piece which came second in playing order was altogether more interesting, so maybe I'll give him another go tomorrow.

I'm with you on that.

[oddoneout]

Relentless was the word that came to mind and I felt pretty battered by the end of the programme; hasn't fired me to make a point of listening to any more, although the radio may stay on if I'm at home.
What is bugging me is that the name was not unknown to me but I have no idea why - I do wonder if a piece of his might have had an airing in one of the morning schedules.

[Bryn]

. . . What is bugging me is that the name was not unknown to me but I have no idea why . . .

Max's Eight Songs for a Mad King?



Or this summer's Proms? https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/n...the-BBC-Proms/

[Bryn]

Relentless was the word that came to mind and I felt pretty battered by the end of the programme; hasn't fired me to make a point of listening to any more, although the radio may stay on if I'm at home.
What is bugging me is that the name was not unknown to me but I have no idea why - I do wonder if a piece of his might have had an airing in one of the morning schedules.

How were you listening? I waited until it was up on Sounds and am listening on headphones to Gay Guerilla at the moment. A relentlessly changing landscape, perhaps but no more relentless, as such, than the final movement of Schubert's 9th. I feel a fair few Eastman imports from QOBUZ coming on.

[Bryn]

Re Gay Guerrilla:

Composer Note
From Julius Eastman’s remarks to the audience before the premieres of Crazy Nigger, Evil Nigger, and Gay Guerrilla in January 1980 during his composer-residency at Northwestern University:

“Now the reason I use Gay Guerrilla — G U E R R I L L A, that one — is because these names — let me put a little subsystem here — these names: either I glorify them or they glorify me. And in the case of guerrilla: that glorifies gay — that is to say, there aren’t many gay guerrillas. I don’t feel that ‘gaydom’ has — does have — that strength, so therefore, I use that word in the hopes that they will. You see, I feel that — at this point, I don’t feel that gay guerrillas can really match with ‘Afghani’ guerrillas or ‘PLO’ guerrillas, but let us hope in the future that they might, you see. That’s why I use that word guerrilla: it means a guerrilla is someone who is, in any case, sacrificing his life for a point of view. And, you know, if there is a cause — and if it is a great cause — those who belong to that cause will sacrifice their blood, because, without blood, there is no cause. So, therefore, that is the reason that I use gay guerrilla, in hopes that I might be one, if called upon to be one.”

[DracoM]

Judging by the opening piece, he seems to have veered towards minimalism. I'm afraid that however talented the guy is, endless repetition just gets me down. The piano piece which came second in playing order was altogether more interesting, so maybe I'll give him another go tomorrow.

[Bryn]

Someone else who does not get on with the final movement of Schubert's 9th, eh?

[Padraig]

Earlier mention of Meredith Monk reminded me that Julius Eastman featured in her Dolmen Music. In her notes she refers to his 'rich encompassing resonance and his extraordinary range'. Nice to hear it again, and I shall be tuning in to this week's Composer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9DO8jKTe04