avant-classical massif!

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blissblogger

Well-known member
couple of intriguing looking releases i saw while digging--

Bengt Hambraeus -- Constellations and Interferences -- attractively packaged mid-60 avantgarde music for organs w/ some electronic element

Terry Riley -- Germ -- one of those Actuel releases i think -- another guy i'd not heard of on the flip

any cop then? any clues? both on the dear side so didn't feel like taking a punt
 
A

arcaNa

Snakes + Ladders
blissblogger said:
couple of intriguing looking releases i saw while digging--

Bengt Hambraeus -- Constellations and Interferences -- attractively packaged mid-60 avantgarde music for organs w/ some electronic element

***well, depends on whether it's church organs or kitschy home-combi organs à la Perrey-Kingsley, maybe? ;)

Terry Riley -- Germ -- one of those Actuel releases i think -- another guy i'd not heard of on the flip

***those BYG/Actuel releases were pretty muddled, weren't they? -i've heard some re-releases on Charly (which themselves were a bootleg label, so maybe not much to go by) and the sound was horrible, awful...If you find original BYG releases, try get some Don Cherry or Art Ensemble Of Chicago ones...but i guess the chances for that now are pretty much non-existent? Remember lots of rare shit being available in the mid-90's, but then it just dried up as every kid wanted to be a dj...

OH, JUST FOUND THIS (ABOUT THE GERM ENSEMBLE):
"the GERM ensemble: Gérard Frémy & Martine Joste). The two pianos create a hovering cloud of sound between them in this raw and primitive minimalist work. Due to the fuzzy recording quality, you don't often see this referenced as one of Riley's important works, but hearing this again on CD has given me a new appreciation for the simple, pounding joy of this piece, an early swag of pure minimalist murk and well worth re-investigation. Marieten's "Initiative 1" is performed by the full GERM (Group d'étude et Réalisation Musicale) Ensemble: (violin, bass, trumpet, french horn, cello, 2 pianos, "rebab & little flute", soprano voice)"
-about the record "Keyboard Studies"
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-Personally i've always much preferred Crumb and Reich over composers like Riley, but hey- taste is subjective... (- I don't even like Philip Glass...! :) )
-"Attractively packaged", what in a "swinging bachelor pad"-sort of way, it's doomed to be kitschy bubbly wallpaper music!
-My 2p would be for the Actuel recording...IF the condition isn't too damaged (i.e. preferrably the former owner haven't used the disc as a frisbee or anything)
-You haven't got any pre-purchase listening options, then? -That would soon establish which one would be worth getting...
 
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Woebot

Woebot

Well-known member
germ was terry riley and (i think!) a swedish dude called pierre maritien or something. I'll buy ANYTHING on BYG but i did notice this had been reissued on CD recently. I dont think its one of terry's best actually. In C is the starting point but Persian Surgery Dervishes is the one, actually scrub that "Happy End" is the one, thats the one with the awesome boogie woogie piano riff on it.
 
soul_pill

soul_pill

Well-known member
I have got that Bengt Hambreaus one, but it's been about 6 years since i've listened to it. It's definitely more organs doing simple (less timbrely complex) tones - not fruity church organ sounds. Had lots of atmosphere as I remember. Can't find it at the moment.
 
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MiltonParker

Well-known member
my favorite riley is 'harp of new albion'... just intonation piano, taking young's masterpiece just a little further, to my ears (granted it couldn't exist without the earlier piece)... 'persian surgery dervishes', 'rainbow', 'shri camel', 'happy end' are all pretty unfuckwithable though.
 
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Stuntrock

Active member
IMHO, Shri Camel is the absolute Riley recording, along maybe the vinyl pressing of Reed Streams and A Rainbow in Curved Air.
Bengt Hambraeus is one of the least interesting swedish composers. Look for Ragnar Grippe, Lars Gunnar Bodin, Ákos Rózmann, Åke Parmerud, Bengt Emil Johnson or Leo Nilson for the proper avant electronic swedish sounds. Ralph Lundsten's early records too (ölskog being my favorite - Beer Forest!)

Oh, and BTW, pierre mariétan is swiss, not swedish ;)

I realize this is pretty late answer, but as I'm new here and avant/modern classical electronic is one of my main interests in music...
 
subvert47

subvert47

I don't fight, I run away
Stuntrock said:
I realize this is pretty late answer
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so it is - I was just about to answer as well

ok, why not...

if you like avant-classical organ music, try and find Gerd Zacher's recording of Ligeti's Harmonies, where he hooks the organ up to a vacuum cleaner - awesome :)
 
Z

zhao

there are no accidents
no no. Poppy No Good and the All Night Flight is the Riley. (the saxophone tape loops concert not the conceptual remix)

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get the one with this Bruce Conner cover... i love this work and especially together with the music.

don't know Bengt Hambraeus....

what i've been thoroughly enjoying recently is the group Zeitkratzer newly released "Old School" series, the first 2 volumes of which are on Cage and James Tenney. amazingly sensuous realization of carefully picked pieces, more than enough to make you fall in love with these composers all over again.

zkr0009front.jpg
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Woebot

Woebot

Well-known member
zhao said:
what i've been thoroughly enjoying recently is the group Zeitkratzer newly released "Old School" series, the first 2 volumes of which are on Cage and James Tenney. amazingly sensuous realization of carefully picked pieces, more than enough to make you fall in love with these composers all over again.

zkr0009front.jpg
zkr0009-Label.jpg


zkr0010front.jpg
zkr0010-Label.jpg
Click to expand...

yikes leo. not sure i go a bundle on these graffix :confused:
 
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Stuntrock

Active member
Depends. If those were on picture wax, I'd buy them in the instant! James Tenney is dope!

Organ work? Roland Kayn!!! Absolute master of the dark experimental electric organ. He used to be in Il Gruppo di Improvizazione Nuevo Consonanza along Macchi, Morricone and other geniuses...
Ákos Rózman also is an organist, a traditionnal one, but turned all experimental droney and concrete.hao : Have you actually listened to Shri Camel? ;)
 
Z

zhao

there are no accidents
hugues dufourt - the watery star

if takemitsu and ligeti's DNA were used to create a testube baby, which was then raised by Scelsi and elder Dogon tribesmen on Sirius B.
 
Z

zhao

there are no accidents
Stuntrock said:
You must be into Gérard Grisey I guess...
Also some Jonathan Harvey is mindblowing : the bell/choir boy track he did at IRCAM in late 70ies/early 80ies is brilliant.
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yes Grisey! Les espaces acoustiques! and Murail's Gandwana and Dumitrescu's Medium III...

not had much luck with harvey though... maybe not remembering correctly but the bit i heard so far was a bit too complex and dry it seemed almost 12 tone... which is not healthy for me.
 
S

Stuntrock

Active member
zhao said:
yes Grisey! Les espaces acoustiques! and Murail's Gandwana and Dumitrescu's Medium III...

not had much luck with harvey though... maybe not remembering correctly but the bit i heard so far was a bit too complex and dry it seemed almost 12 tone... which is not healthy for me.
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The Harvey Piece I was thinking about is on this :

http://www.discogs.com/Hugues-Dufou...Plango-Vivos-Voco-Modulations/release/1313676

It should convince you as it is way different from what you heard. Ritual Melodies is also a big fave.

Murail's masterpiece would be Mémoire Erosion...
 
Z

zhao

there are no accidents
ok will give him another chance. seems like maybe the more recent work is more mellow and spiritual?
just downloaded these:

Jonathan Harvey – I Love the Lord (1995)
Jonathan Harvey – Angels (2008)
Jonathan Harvey – Trio Fibonacci (2000)
Jonathan Harvey - From Silence, Nataraja, Ritual Melodies (1993)
 
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dave quam

Well-known member
whoa whoa whoa, many Riley mentions but nobody brings up "You're No Good"? Shame!

I would say my favorite piece in this realm is Robert Ashley's "Automatic Writing". One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever made in my opinion, sound coming from other rooms. Also "The Wolfman" by him is like the first harsh noise ever made.
 
Z

zhao

there are no accidents
dave quam said:
whoa whoa whoa, many Riley mentions but nobody brings up "You're No Good"? Shame!
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it's an amazing re-version on so many formal and conceptual levels but do not exemplify the main thrust of his work though?

going to dig some later Jonathan Harvey this hung over morning... spectral church organ is probably just what i need :)
 
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