Minimalism surveyed - 4.6.2011

[amateur51]

I thought it was inspired to start with the much neglected La Monte Young who is the godfather of so much Soundart and drone music

Glass also made the interesting (and sadly not really explored in great depth in this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fear-Music-P.../dp/1846941792) that the music that "corresponds" to the, now extremely popular, visual art of the time seems to have been overlooked.

I've been thinking of getting this book, MrGongGong - is it worth the effort, do you think? It's such an intriguing title

[MrGongGong]

I was more than a little disappointed with it
there is much to say on the subject but the Amazon reviews more or less sum it up
I was hoping for more thought and less a list of what music he does and doesn't like (as a couple of the reviews state) so its very inconclusive IMV
shame as I had great hopes when I found it !

Just listened to the programme again and found it one of the best items about this music i have listened to , lots of interesting things from the main protagonists
now all we need is the programme about the English minimalists (i'm sure Bryn would be more than happy to present this !), John White, Chris Hobbs, Lost Jockey, Man Jumping, Regular Music, Cardew, Jeremy Peyton Jones et al .......... COTW ?

[hackneyvi]

I was more than a little disappointed with it ...

Forgive me, MrGG, but I couldn't resist a quote from one of the more scathing Amazon reviews:

Other reviewers have quite rightly criticized the proof reading and typesetting; they are abysmal. The standard of grammar is poor ... it spouts gibberish in a ludicrously pretentious style that invites parody and ridicule.

One would like to think that "Sergio Diaghlev" (sic) was a typo. On the other hand, he might have been an Italian ballet impresario who went on to make spaghetti westerns.

I actually did laugh out loud.

[Quarky]

A fascinating programme, which raises the inevitable question "why doesn't R3 broadcast more of this stuff?"

Interesting that the culture out of which Minimalism grew, appears worlds away from the world of classical music concerts, which I guess is what most people experience who want to listen to "serious" music.

But how is classical music going to shed its stuffed shirt image? I don't think it helps it. If I go to a concert I want to feel comfortable and enjoy it. I do not want to be conscious that I am being "improved" by attending this concert, nor that I am earning brownie points by moving in a higher grade of society.

[prokkyshosty]

Interesting that the culture out of which Minimalism grew, appears worlds away from the world of classical music concerts, which I guess is what most people experience who want to listen to "serious" music.

Although funny that most of the principals have since tried to infiltrate the concert hall in one way or another, rather than simply writing for their own ensembles. Reich has written for orchestras, and Adams, obviously; even Philip Glass has managed to get his Nine symphonies in, in true classical fashion. They do make the point in the programme that they felt minimalism had "arrived" when Einstein was presented at the Met, though they fail to elucidate that it was presented AT the Met, not BY the Met. Wilson had rented the hall on an off Sunday as a sort of provocation to the uptown snoots.

I enjoyed the programme, though I do wish there was more time to explore the 1980s, when minimalism turned into the lingua franca of music for people of my generation who came of age in that decade. I remember in 1987 buying cassettes of Reich's Sextet, Kraftwerk's Electric Cafe, and The Best of OMD, and it all felt the same to me.

[MrGongGong]

To my ears , the point where Glass in particular became less interesting was once he became popular and started to write for groups other than his own ensemble
no criticism really as what composer wouldn't accept commissions from the leading Opera houses and Orchestras in the World ?
but
Einstein is a work of genius
and Akhnaten is a very poor relation

when I went to see Glass in the 1980's it was loud, fast and exhilarating ........ played by an orchestra used to churning out Brahms on a 3 hour rehearsal ? not worth the bother

which is maybe why La Monte Young and Terry Riley still seem to produce interesting works ? as does Andriessen and Wim Metrens

also having gone to school (and briefly played in band ) with Andy McCluskey of OMD I would say that his musical references were Kraftwerk, Kraftwerk and Can rather than American minimalism

[Bryn]

... (i'm sure Bryn would be more than happy to present this !), John White, Chris Hobbs, Lost Jockey, Man Jumping, Regular Music, Cardew, Jeremy Peyton Jones et al .......... COTW ?

Oh no he wouldn't. That's a job for Sarah Walker, whose PhD treated with the subject as part of the English experimental tradition, and who has a long-standing performing relationship with John White as the other member of WWII (Walker/White duo).

[hackneyvi]

also having gone to school (and briefly played in band) with Andy McCluskey of OMD I would say that his musical references were Kraftwerk, Kraftwerk and Can rather than American minimalism

I was brought up in Meols in the 1970s.

[MrGongGong]

I was brought up in Meols in the 1970s.

I probably went to school with you then !
and mrs McCluskey was the lollipop lady by the Railway Inn

[hackneyvi]

I probably went to school with you then !
and mrs McCluskey was the lollipop lady by the Railway Inn

I wonder if the Red Frame / White Light phone box is still at the top of Greenwood Road? And still ringing?

All our yesterdays ...

[MrGongGong]

is that
6323003 ?

which would have been used as a rhythmic cell if they were listening to Einstein !
(not sure what to do with 0 though )

123456
123
12
123
123

etc

[hackneyvi]

is that
6323003 ?

Good Lord, it is! Well remembered.



Don't know that the cones add anything.

This might be getting 1. baffling and B. annoying for other readers, so I'll stop! But not before saying that the Chamber Concert Society still seems to be going strong (though I see it's wandered again; having left St Hildeburgh's for St Andrews in the 90s, it's apparantly now to be found at the Westbourne Hall near Ashton Park).

I hadn't thought about any of this for years. Now, back it goes in the box.

[pilamenon]

I was looking forward to this, but thought it a very poor documentary, way inferior to the Discovering Music feature presented by Charles Hazlewood last year. The lowest point was reached in the fatuous audience vox pops outside Nixon in China. The narrative was unclear and unfocused - why were his "key works" so described? - and there was a lot of drivel about how cool and awesome it was hanging around art lofts in New York's Soho district in the 1960s. It really was just a lazy travelogue sort of programme, with a presenter so beholden to his subjects, he was unable to question them purposefully to clarify or enlighten the listener.

Here is the imv much better exposition by Radio 3 last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gqtmz

[Dave2002]

Just catching the end of the H&N programme after the minimalist survey before it becomes lost to the iPlayer. Some of this stuff sounds really good - the cello octet pieces seem fun. Must give up and go to bed soon.

[MrGongGong]

I was looking forward to this, but thought it a very poor documentary, way inferior to the Discovering Music feature presented by Charles Hazlewood last year

I would really take issue with this
What I really liked about this documentary was that it located the music as being outside the orchestral tradition, orchestras playing inC (for example) really miss the point !
Glass's ensemble in the 1980's ....... at rock band volume, fast (in an Icebreaker style !) and frighteningly accurate was exhilarating
this music doesn't stem from the mainstream of art music even though several of the composers have taken it there