Maverick sound visions.
It’s a typical American phenomenon: the maverick composer. A slightly eccentric musical pioneer who completely plots his own course. It’s as if the spirit of the Pilgrim Fathers descended upon these obstinate composers. They can rarely be pigeon-holed or pushed into a style period. In order to execute their sound visions they pick less than obvious instruments such as synthesizers, home-built electronics or player pianos. At times extraordinarily complex music which cannot always be performed by human hands. From dizzying rhythms to strange tuning and musical brainwaves. This episode of Theme features some remarkable sound visions from mavericks such as David Rosenboom, Peter Thoegersen, Ivor Darreg, Conlon Nancarrow and Kyle Gann.
Playlist
1. Conlon Nancarrow: ‘Study for Player Piano No. 35’ on Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano Vol I & II. Conlon Nancarrow (player piano, recorded 1988). Wergo 6168/69-2 CD
2. Conlon Nancarrow: ‘Study for Player Piano No. 32’ on Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano Vol I & II. Conlon Nancarrow (player piano, recorded 1988). Wergo 6168/69-2 CD
3+4. Conlon Nancarrow: ‘Study for Player Piano No. 40 a+b’ on Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano Vol I & II. Conlon Nancarrow (player piano, recorded 1988). Wergo 6168/69-2 CD
5. David Rosenboom: ‘The Right Measure of Opposites (expanded movement from Bell Solaris) (1998/2018) on David Rosenboom: Deviant Resonances. David Rosenboom (two Yamaha disklaviers, electronics, computer algorithms), Ravello Records RR8009 2CD
6. Ivor Darreg: ’51 Tones per octave (from Beyond the Xenharmonic Frontier)’ on Ivor Darreg: Detwelvulate! Ivor Darreg (midi-files, electronics). National Society for the Decriminalization of Microtones (own production) CD
7. Ivor Darreg: ’53 Tones per octave (from Beyond the Xenharmonic Frontier)’ on Ivor Darreg: Detwelvulate! Ivor Darreg (midi-files, electronics). National Society for the Decriminalization of Microtones (own production) CD
8. Kyle Gann: ‘Ghost Town’ on Century XXI Electronics USA. Kyle Gann (sample keyboard, electronics). NewTone Records NT6730 CD
9. Peter Thoegersen: ‘Irrational Quartet’ (2018) on Peter Thoegersen: Three Pieces in Polytempic Polymicrotonality. Peter Thoegersen (synthesizer). New World Records 80812-2 CD
10. David Rosenboom: ‘Portable Gold and Philosophers’ Stones (Deviant Resonances) (2015), on David Rosenboom: Deviant Resonances. David Rosenboom (electronics, computer algorithms) + Sarah Belle Reid en Micaela Tobin (brainwaves/performers) Ravello Records RR8009 2CD
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