Robert Morris, American composer

[Passingby]

I have written twice, over the years, to the "Hear and Now" staff to ask if it would ever be possible for them to broadcast any of the work of this distinguished American composer but have never heard back. He has English connections as he was born in Cheltenham. Here are two links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Morris_(composer) and http://ecmc.rochester.edu/rdm/morris.bio.html . Also, http://interactive.wxxi.org/node/191411

I have heard some of his music and enjoyed it very much. I am a little bit puzzled that not a single note of his music has ever been played on R3, to the best of my knowledge.
As it happens, he has a recital coming up on 10th November. I wish I could be there, but no chance of that: http://www.esm.rochester.edu/news/20...-local-stages/ - (If you scroll down you will find it).
In my opinion, his music is well worth listening to but it's not easy to get the chance. I have a resigned feeling now that eventually he'll die and it will just never be played here. Thankfully, he's still very much alive!

[teamsaint]

hello PB.

welcome to the forum. (unofficially, I expect the great and the good will do it officially later )

Interesting first thread. Not heard his music at all, but here is some on Youtube.

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

all of which has rather diverted me from some Berg that I was about to settle down to, but, well, as you point out, Morris is still with us, and his youtube view count isn't what one might hope for....

[Passingby]

Many thanks for the link, teamsaint. I hadn't searched Youtube.

[teamsaint]

Many thanks for the link, teamsaint. I hadn't searched Youtube.

you should. While it is still free......

There is at least one CD in the Naxos library too.

http://wiltshire.naxosmusiclibrary.com/catalogue/item.asp?cid=TROY779

[Sydney Grew]

No disrespect to Mr. Morris, whom I confess I have never heard of, but is there not already far too much northern American music and speech broadcast by the Corporation? (And most of it that I have heard is vulgar and infantile stuff.) I regard the Americans as a Bad Influence. Let's have some Belgians, some Frenchmen, some Italians, some Greeks, some Czechs, some Russians, some Finns, some Africans, some Indians, some Norwegians - elevating things we can get our teeth into - and do give the Americans a rest for a year or ten!

[Beef Oven!]

No disrespect to Mr. Morris, whom I confess I have never heard of, but is there not already far too much northern American music and speech broadcast by the Corporation? (And most of it that I have heard is vulgar and infantile stuff.) I regard the Americans as a Bad Influence. Let's have some Belgians, some Frenchmen, some Italians, some Greeks, some Czechs, some Russians, some Finns, some Africans, some Indians, some Norwegians - elevating things we can get our teeth into - and do give the Americans a rest for a year or ten!

Now ya talkin', Sydney!

[Passingby]

If anyone's interested I've just discovered that there's a recent issue of PNM, celebrating his 70th birthday, and featuring the work of Robert Morris: http://www.perspectivesofnewmusic.org/
In addition to his many other activities, he is a co-editor of this journal.

Also, some of his music can be found here on CDs (since it may never be played on Radio 3): http://the-open-space.org/cds-dvds

[Beef Oven!]

If anyone's interested I've just discovered that there's a recent issue of PNM, celebrating his 70th birthday, and featuring the work of Robert Morris: http://www.perspectivesofnewmusic.org/
In addition to his many other activities, he is a co-editor of this journal.

Also, some of his music can be found here on CDs (since it may never be played on Radio 3): http://the-open-space.org/cds-dvds

Found something on Youtube. Not sure if Robert Morris is my cup of tea.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_C62jZsm_g

[Passingby]

Found something on Youtube. Not sure if Robert Morris is my cup of tea.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_C62jZsm_g

Careless searching for common names can easily lead to hilarious results.

[Beef Oven!]

Careless searching for common names can easily lead to hilarious results.

I listened to 'Mysterious Landscape', courtesy of teamsaint and Youtube. Very interesting electroacoustic stuff.

What did they record in the field? Do you know?

[Passingby]

I listened to 'Mysterious Landscape', courtesy of teamsaint and Youtube. Very interesting electroacoustic stuff.

What did they record in the field? Do you know?

The only information I have found is: Mysterious Landscape (2012) is an improvisational electro-acoustic piece to be performed by one or two performers on a laptop computer.

Natural sounds such as birds, insects, frogs, mammals, wind, and water are mixed together with computer-generated sounds to project a serene sonic environment that reflects on a peaceful relation of humans to nature.

The photographs that appear in this video were taken by the composer on a walk on Oct 22, 2012 on trails within the Whiting Road Nature Preserve in Webster, New York. The series of images follows the walk with only a few omitted for compositional reasons.

This is written below this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYt5XNDiy0E
I didn't know of this piece at all till my attention was drawn to it by teamsaint.

Update - just found programme notes for it: http://ecmc.rochester.edu/rdm/notes/ml.html

[Beef Oven!]

The only information I have found is: Mysterious Landscape (2012) is an improvisational electro-acoustic piece to be performed by one or two performers on a laptop computer.

Natural sounds such as birds, insects, frogs, mammals, wind, and water are mixed together with computer-generated sounds to project a serene sonic environment that reflects on a peaceful relation of humans to nature.

The photographs that appear in this video were taken by the composer on a walk on Oct 22, 2012 on trails within the Whiting Road Nature Preserve in Webster, New York. The series of images follows the walk with only a few omitted for compositional reasons.

This is written below this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYt5XNDiy0E
I didn't know of this piece at all till my attention was drawn to it by teamsaint.

Update - just found programme notes for it: http://ecmc.rochester.edu/rdm/notes/ml.html

Hadn't realised that you were new to the piece. I thought the birds, insects and animals would have been field recordings, but you never know these days with all the computer options.

Thanks for posting the programme notes.

[Boilk]

I have written twice, over the years, to the "Hear and Now" staff to ask if it would ever be possible for them to broadcast any of the work of this distinguished American composer but have never heard back. He has English connections as he was born in Cheltenham. Here are two links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Morris_(composer) and http://ecmc.rochester.edu/rdm/morris.bio.html . Also, http://interactive.wxxi.org/node/191411

I have heard some of his music and enjoyed it very much.

There's a gluttonous feast of electronic music at Electro CD, and many of the composers (both male and female) inhabit similar musical terrain as your Mr. Morris.

[Passingby]

There's a gluttonous feast of electronic music at Electro CD, and many of the composers (both male and female) inhabit similar musical terrain as your Mr. Morris.

By far the greater part of this composer's output over the years has been for traditional instruments: orchestral, chamber and solo works. Electronic music is only a minor part of the whole. Judge for yourself: http://ecmc.rochester.edu/rdm/morris.isort.html

[Boilk]

By far the greater part of this composer's output over the years has been for traditional instruments

Sorry, I went to Mysterious Landscapes on YouTube and assumed that was representative of Morris!