Pierre Schaeffer

Notes From The Underground: Radical Music Of The 20th Century – él Records

Where to begin. Like forever calling this collection of exemplarily works celebrates all that was worthwhile of the twentieth century, denoting times, evoking memory, lives lived and lost. Spanning four discs of undeniable pleasure living in the moment is cast aside as history is rewound spelling out the story of humanities rites of passage tuning into a panoramic view of Art, sound and all that that was radically exciting in its wake. If the needle got stuck on Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) from 1894 who would complain. Breathing life. Igor Stravinsky’s challenging intensity follows suite featuring a collections of bombastic light and shade making you feel lost in a Hitchcock or expressionistic drama of dark celluloid. Contrasts are always informative and no less so than the sonic collages from Karlheinz Stockhausen and Pierre Schaeffer who proceed to delve into unimaginable depths of the soul pulling out incendiary fragments. Then complimented by John Coltrane’s superlative live version of My Favourite Things performed in 1961.

Listening to Edgard Varèse’s incredible 1954 World Premiere of Déserts must have seemed like aliens landing less than a mere ten years after the Second World War. However, music of a different passion is also featured providing that all important light relief in the shape of Vicente Alvarez and his Tropical Orchestra – Tango Argentino. A number of these lighter, seemingly more conventional tracks intersperse the playlist working well as distractions that make the impact of the revolutionary all the more potent. Compositions and interpretations by Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman are also present, while mere words can’t really do justice to hearing Allen Ginsburg recite Howl in all its brutal, shining glory. The wonderful Daphne Oram is here too.

The third disc is primarily given over to the poems by Edith Sitwell accompanied by the music of William Walton, a step too far perhaps but then again. Or the delicate sound of melting hearts care of Bill Evans, My Foolish Heart featuring the eloquent bass playing of Scott LaFaro sounding just like the cinema of life never changes. By the fourth CD energetic heartstrings are played Gustav Mahler’s incredibility poignant Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor IV. Adagietto, getting lost in a please don’t ever end moment this must be one of the finest ever compositions. Then, John Cage happens. From 1951. And you think radical music just happened. Out of nowhere. On the music travels.

There are a whole host of other artists not mentioned so far but isn’t that the pleasure of discovery. If you find music a serious exploit then do try this for yourself. You might get a little shocked or even surprised in the process but not dulled by disappointment. Music of genius can be said to be timeless and with release the point is correct.

Release: January 21

www.cherryred.co.uk

I’d Love To Turn You On: Classical and Avant-Garde Music that inspired the Sixties Counter Culture. Volume Two – él Records

There aren’t enough words to fill the page to describe just how exhilarating, revolutionary (there’s that thought again), amid the sheer utter brilliance of artists from all disciplines and certainly in some cases undisciplined, step forward The Goons – I’m Walking Backwards for Christmas, which are yours to experience here. From moments capturing the clear moonlight, haunting beauty of Richard Burton’s telling of To Begin at the Beginning, from Under Milk Wood – A Play for Voices to John Cage’s twisted treatments to Sun Ra’s Advice To Medics there might indeed be something for everyone.

It’s that canny collaboration of spoken words i.e. poetry plus the mind-expanding Classics of Debussy, Delia Derbyshire along with Pierre Schaeffer and Dave Brubeck’s Take Five, Purcell, Strauss and Elgar that truly capture the exceptional nature of this series. Genre free because this is all about music in and of itself reading the nature of things while spinning it back to you in ever evolving ways. Suitably said to be: Classical and Avant-Garde Music that inspired the Sixties Counter Culture this is quintessentially nostalgic yet at the same time sounding timeless like way beyond the future. The flight continues on from Jack Kerouac to Oscar Peterson Trio’s autumnal version of Jet Song to Gustav Mahler’s heady rush of orchestration – Symphony No.9 in D major: First Movement producing the effect that what is discovered within these four CD’s tests the boundaries of all Art with a capitol A. It’s that simple.

Release: October 22
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/id-love-to-turn-you-on-4cd-set/

Karlheinz Stockhausen â€“ Adventures In Sound – Ã‰l Records

Karlheinz Stockhausen was a prolific composer and creator/ manipulator of sound. He lived between 1928 and 2007 in which time he composed some 376 works. His legacy and the ideas incorporated within last and inspire to this day, perhaps in ways that you may not even be aware of. Beginning to compose pieces at the beginning of the 1950’s what you will hear contained from that time is Kontra Punte (Counter-Points) from 1952-53.Â Which rearranges the classical repertoire into new, almost shapeless forms as he and composers of a similar mind-set challenged how music could be made after the second world war. Remaining otherworldly – with a spiritual dimension – redefining what was possible/ acceptable is an accolade only afforded to a few throughout the history of music.

This three cd boxset from EL charts the territory explored by Stockhausen while also including work by Pierre Boulez, examples of musique concrÃ¨te from Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry alongside others which used recorded sounds as raw material. These collages of stimulation exist in a unique space of their own, even now, reflecting an uneasy world around them, yet there is also something reassuring about the flowing, freeform of expression as they take your imagination and run with it. Stockhausen’s own Gesang der JuÌˆnglinge inspired The Beatles – Revolution 9 and you can hear how too (and he’s there on the cover of Sergeant Pepper’s). The third disc: Electronic Music For The Mind And Body features further studies in those concepts like John Cage’s magnificent Aria with Fontana Mix, as well as from Iannis Xenakis and the wonderful GyÃ¶rgy Ligeti. The collection is accompanied by an invaluable booklet containing photographs and text setting this incredible story in context. And if you want to look beyond the familiar worlds of melody and syncopation then this is a perfect starting point.