1. Harry
Partch, Daphne of the Dunes (instrument usage)
The reason this is the opener for the concert is because of the way that the instruments are being used, and how unique the sounds are throughout the piece. Although Harry Partch is using all instruments throughout the piece, they are being played and hit to create interesting and unique sounds. They seem to be being played at random times, which is much an ode to Cage’s Atlas Eclipticalis. Both composers chose to use instruments, but not in ways that they are normally used. This will be a great piece to introduce the audience to this idea before they listen to Atlas Eclipticalis in the second half of the concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9W3ZOs6C2A
The reason this is the opener for the concert is because of the way that the instruments are being used, and how unique the sounds are throughout the piece. Although Harry Partch is using all instruments throughout the piece, they are being played and hit to create interesting and unique sounds. They seem to be being played at random times, which is much an ode to Cage’s Atlas Eclipticalis. Both composers chose to use instruments, but not in ways that they are normally used. This will be a great piece to introduce the audience to this idea before they listen to Atlas Eclipticalis in the second half of the concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9W3ZOs6C2A
2. Morton
Feldman, For John Cage (time)
Trying to understand this piece without seeing the score was hard, so I looked for a music review of it to better understand what was happening. Thom Jurek states in his review that this piece is a varying of time signatures and note patterns. Time was very important in the Cage piece, specifically because there wasn’t a time signature. Instead, it was broken up into 15 second intervals, and the musicians decided what time it was and when to play. In Feldman’s piece, this idea is prominently heard throughout, as the time of the piece changes. The piece slows down and speeds up throughout, creating a feeling of no time. The notes seem to be played at random throughout, like the musicians are choosing when to play. This is going to be an important piece for the set-up of listening to Atlas Eclipticalis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIWqdEL4Npk
http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-john-cage-mw0000959078
Trying to understand this piece without seeing the score was hard, so I looked for a music review of it to better understand what was happening. Thom Jurek states in his review that this piece is a varying of time signatures and note patterns. Time was very important in the Cage piece, specifically because there wasn’t a time signature. Instead, it was broken up into 15 second intervals, and the musicians decided what time it was and when to play. In Feldman’s piece, this idea is prominently heard throughout, as the time of the piece changes. The piece slows down and speeds up throughout, creating a feeling of no time. The notes seem to be played at random throughout, like the musicians are choosing when to play. This is going to be an important piece for the set-up of listening to Atlas Eclipticalis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIWqdEL4Npk
http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-john-cage-mw0000959078
3. Erwin
Schulhoff, In Futurum (silence)
This piece would be the last piece performed before intermission. One of the integral parts of Atlas Eclipticalis is the silent spaces between played pitches. In Futurum is much like Cage’s 4’33”; it is all silence, with the performer “playing” the silence. Hearing what is in the silence is very important to the piece, because it is unscripted and totally left to chance. The audience is listening for what is naturally occurring around them as the silence settles in. I would use this piece to set the mood for the performance of the second half of the concert, Atlas Eclipticalis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c5lRRaW4Jw
This piece would be the last piece performed before intermission. One of the integral parts of Atlas Eclipticalis is the silent spaces between played pitches. In Futurum is much like Cage’s 4’33”; it is all silence, with the performer “playing” the silence. Hearing what is in the silence is very important to the piece, because it is unscripted and totally left to chance. The audience is listening for what is naturally occurring around them as the silence settles in. I would use this piece to set the mood for the performance of the second half of the concert, Atlas Eclipticalis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c5lRRaW4Jw
I like that you included Schulhoff's piece, but I'm wondering why Cage gets credit for the first silent piece when this was 30 years before 4'33"? Were their intentions different perhaps? Good program, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cool assignment because you get to hear pieces that I never would have come across. I really like the idea of the Schulhoff piece before Atlas and I think that it's a great segueway to Cage's music. It has a great element of whimsy that I think he would have appreciated. The Partch piece was really cool (I know, it's a great descriptor) but I think that it really relates to Cage's music. There is definitely a sense of industry in that piece.
ReplyDeleteGreat selections! I really enjoyed them!
The Partch piece reminds me a lot of Javanese gamelan - especially how it combines instruments of different timbres, and has a layering effect with different rhythms and tempi. I wonder if that is an intentional connection the composer is making, perhaps with Debussy and Ravel near the turn of the century, or with a similar vein of exoticism in general, or if it is a coincidental resemblance from Partch's compositional philosophy and process?
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and evocative selections, Tanya. They are each very different and yet they share some common threads with Atlas. The Feldman is a great piece, but maybe a but too long for the first half of a concert--there are a few shorter works that play with similar ideas and might work better on a program like this (listen to "Piano Four Hands."
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