CRI salutes the eleven composers on this disc for their music and all that goes into it. As they say for themselves in their notes which follow, their gender and sexuality are but parts of their whole persons. But we also salute their bravery in standing as proud lesbians in a profession and in a society where just being a woman can sometimes still be a detriment. This disc is the third volume in CRI’s series of music by fine composers who “just happen to be gay.” The first volume, Gay American Composers, released in 1996, was never conceived to be an all-male affair. But when we began discussing the project with prospective artists, there were very few woman interested in being, or available to be, part of the project. We feared that if only one or two women were included, they would seem like red herrings, if not tokens. Nevertheless, we announced our intention then to release a full disc of lesbian composers. Now two years later—and after far more rejections than we received from men—the project has become a reality.
Again, with this new collection, we present representative works from each composer, and we let the listener decide if there is a gay or lesbian sensibility that unites them. The artists range in age from their thirties to their seventies, and have backgrounds in mainstream composition and teaching, as well as in performance-art and ritual, film scoring, and Broadway. And again we allow each of them to make their own statements on the topic of sexuality and music. Like all first-rate American artists, these lesbian composers share a boldness of vision and a determination to bring it to reality. We hope that this introduction to their work will draw you further into the ever new and changing world of American classical music. —Joseph R. Dalton, Executive Director, Composers Recordings, Inc
The cover to this album has somehow got lost both on New world and Emusic, as well as the correct album title.
Nevertheless, a true gem.
Impressive “tape music” record on the Composers Recordings Inc. label
with sounds dating from the early to mid 1960’s. The first side is
credited to Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky, co-founders of the
Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. The b-side features Mel
Powell, former director of electronic music at Yale University. The
record begins with the sounds of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, the
source music for Luening and Ussachevsky’s first electronic piece.
Throughout “Concerted piece”, the music alternates from standard
classical to tape-manipulated electronics. The liner notes state that
the music bears some resemblance to a movement from a classical
concerto, with the tape recorder in the role of the soloist. Overall a
wonderful start to the record and a great precursor for the rest of the
LP.
The following track, “Of Wood and Brass” focuses strictly on an electronic theme. Here’s what Ussachevsky had to say about it:
“The first section consists predominantely of
material evolved from the trombone and from the electronic source; the
second from a single flourish on a trumpet; most of the third section
was originally played on the xylophone, mixed with some electronic
sounds; the final section is made almost exclusively from a glissando on
the trombone and the sound of a Korean gong.”
“Wireless Fantasy” is the final track on the first side, a ‘tribute’
to the pioneers of radio technology. Here, Ussachevsky was asked to
produce an electronic work utilizing some wireless code signals as basic
sound material. Much of the old wireless gear he used came from the
Historical Wireless Museum in Trenton, NJ (woah — is this still
around?). This is probably my favorite track on here. It kind of
reminds me of the instrumental work on Kraftwerks’ “Radioactivity” LP.
Just when you thought there couldn’t really be anything more
interesting on this record, there’s “Events” on side two. The track
combines three pre-recorded voices (each reciting Hart Crane’s poem, “Legend”) and a barrage of electronic sounds. Amazing.
The record finishes off with some more electronic work and some
small-group avant garde improvisation. If you ever see this do not
hesitate to pick it up; anyone remotely interested in electronic music
would be quite pleased.
WIRELESS FANTASY was composed in 1960. The composer writes: "The birth of wireless communication ushered in an exciting period which lasted from 1899 to 1925 when the Amateur Spark Era came to an end. Much romance and nostalgia still remain from these times."
Among the American pioneers of this period perhaps none is better known than Lee De Forrest, whose inventions led to the development of radio as we know it today. To honor him, a group of dedicated old timers formed an organization known as "De Forrest Pioneers".
It is for this organization that Mr. Ussachevsky was asked to produce an electronic work utilizing some wireless code signals as basic sound material. He was introduced to a radio pioneer, Mr. Ed G. Raser, who has an extensive collection of old wireless amateur gear in his W2ZI Historical Wireless Museum in Trenton, N. J. It is there that Mr. Ussachevsky recorded such now seldom-heard sounds as code signals produced on the old spark generators. The insertion of a fragment from "Parsifal," electronically treated to resemble a short-wave transmission, was a result of Mr. Ussachevsky's learning that Lee De Forrest used this work as the first ever to be broadcast anywhere.
Adds Mr. Ussachevsky:
"The first signal is 'QST', a standard call to all stations to stand by for a message of general interest. Then comes the first old open gap spark-generated code, 'DF' (for De Forrest), the identifying call of the famous Manhattan Beach Station which could be heard from Newfoundland to the Caribbean. This is soon followed by 'WA', associated with the Waldorf-Astoria Station, built in 1910, and then 'NY'. Under this is played a montage of wireless signals, until slowly the orchestral composition emerges. Toward the end ‘DOC DF’, the affectionate nickname by which De Forrest was known to his friends, is tapped by Mr. Raser. The FANTASY ends with the conventional code ‘AR’—end of message—and ‘GN’— good night”.
I just followed that CP2 link - and many thanks - and it is the first time that I've seen the sale price i.e. 99p per track crossed out and my regular 42p per track there. Never seen an rrp price in the UK before. It's presumably just a one off concession from a distributor but well interesting, if potentially disturbing ;-)
New World Records is still digging out releases from the Composers Recordings Inc. catalogue (CRI) for posting on Emusic, as an example this fine album from 1980:
BARTON McLEAN DIMENSIONS III (for saxophone and tape) DIMENSIONS IV (for saxophone and tape) Regni with electronic tape
KARL KORTE SYMMETRICS Regni, with the University of Texas Percussion Ensemble (Bruce Radek, Mark Singer, Steve Harris, Joe Clark); George Frock, conductor
KEVIN HANLON VARIATIONS (for saxophone and tape delays) Regni and tape recorders
- Albert Regni, is presently the principal saxophonist with the New
York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet Orchestras and formerly of the
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has concertized, toured and recorded
extensively with each of these Organizations.
Symphonic appearances have also included the orchestras of
Leningrad, Odessa, St. Petersburg, Israel, Baltimore, Los Angeles, The
National Symphony ( Washington, D.C.) and Rotterdam, Holland.
His solo saxophone recordings Extended Saxophone on CRI,
Three Dark Paintings on Open Loop and El Amor on Sons of Sound have all
received international acclaim.
Mr. Regni is an active participant in music for television,
recordings and film and was recipient of a Gold Record and Grammy
recognition for his work on the television series Twin Peaks. He has
played on the soundtracks for over 40 major motion pictures and has
recorded a vast array of music from Classical, Chamber, Jazz, Pop, and
over 20 Original Broadway Cast Albums as a concert and studio musician
in New York City. The acclaimed TV documentary of West Side Story
conducted by Leonard Bernstein with Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carreras
features him as principal solo clarinetist.
He has been a visiting professor of saxophone at the Eastman
School of Music in Rochester, New York. Associate professor at The
University of Texas at Austin, Saxophone Professor at The College of New
Jersey and presently is adjunct professor of saxophone at The Virginia
Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia
Dimensions IV for Saxophone and Tape by Barton McLean
New World Records is still digging out releases from the Composers Recordings Inc. catalogue (CRI) for posting on Emusic, as an example this fine album from 1976:
"Two Stevens Songs" (1975) for soprano and computer synthesized tape. Tape part computed at the Digital Computing Laboratory, University of Illinois and converted at the Gofdfrey Winham Laboratory, Princeton University.
"Alternate Routes" (1971) for tape realized at the Bregman Electronic Studio, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.
"Musique Douze" (1975) for tape realized at the Electronimusikstudion (EMS), Stockholm, Sweden.
"Disappearances" (1974) for tape and piano. Tape part realized at Fylkingen's Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.
This record contains fine examples of three different types of electronic music: "pure" synthesized sounds (Ronald Perera), natural sounds modified by electronic processing (Bengt Emil Johnson and Ragnar Grippe), and sounds created by a computer (John Melby). Both the Melby and Johnson pieces require that a live performer combine real time performance with that of the tape.
- With the late Ben Johnston as composer of track 2:
Ben Johnston was born in Georgia in 1926 and received
degrees from William and Mary College, Cincinnati
Conservatory of Music, and Mills College. In the early 1950's
Johnston worked with Harry Partch, and from this association
Johnston developed his interest in writing music in just
intonation. He remains today one of the foremost authorities
on Partch and his work. Another important influence was
John Cage, with whom Johnston studied in 1959–60 while in
New York on a Guggenheim Fellowship. Johnston joined the
faculty of the University of Illinois in 1951, where he
remained as professor of composition and theory until he
retired in 1983 to devote himself full-time to composing. He
was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University in
1990. Johnston has received an enormous number of
commissions throughout his career, resulting in a substantial
and important body of work. Among the most renowned of
his works are the cycle of nine string quartets, the product of
commissions from the Fine Arts, New World, Concord, and
Stanford quartets, among others. The Fourth Quartet, a set of
variations on "Amazing Grace," was recorded by the Kronos
Quartet and has been praised as "one of the most moving and
profound of all American string quartets."
John Hollenbeck, drums, percussion, piano, berimbau; Dan Willis, English horn, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute; Jonas Tauber, cello; Skuli Sverrison, electric bass and banjo sexto; Theo Bleckmann, voice and piano
^^ This one and two other NWCRI albums by Hollenbeck is now available from Bandcamp:
- "is one of the less frequently
mentioned pioneering composers of minimal music and is probably best
known as a founding member of the Philip Glass Ensemble. Gibson also
holds the unique distinction of having performed with Steve Reich, Terry
Riley, and La Monte Young (as a member of the Theatre of Eternal
Music), in addition to Glass, the four composers widely regarded as the
founding fathers of minimal music". . . .
Comments
Composers: Pauline Oliveros, Nurit Tilles, Linda Montano, Marilyn Freedman, Paula M. Kimper, Eve Beglarian, Jennifer Higdon, Annea Lockwood, Madelyn Byrne,
Ruth Anderson
Nevertheless, a true gem.
Impressive “tape music” record on the Composers Recordings Inc. label with sounds dating from the early to mid 1960’s. The first side is credited to Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky, co-founders of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. The b-side features Mel Powell, former director of electronic music at Yale University. The record begins with the sounds of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, the source music for Luening and Ussachevsky’s first electronic piece.
Throughout “Concerted piece”, the music alternates from standard classical to tape-manipulated electronics. The liner notes state that the music bears some resemblance to a movement from a classical concerto, with the tape recorder in the role of the soloist. Overall a wonderful start to the record and a great precursor for the rest of the LP.
The following track, “Of Wood and Brass” focuses strictly on an electronic theme. Here’s what Ussachevsky had to say about it:
“Wireless Fantasy” is the final track on the first side, a ‘tribute’ to the pioneers of radio technology. Here, Ussachevsky was asked to produce an electronic work utilizing some wireless code signals as basic sound material. Much of the old wireless gear he used came from the Historical Wireless Museum in Trenton, NJ (woah — is this still around?). This is probably my favorite track on here. It kind of reminds me of the instrumental work on Kraftwerks’ “Radioactivity” LP.
Just when you thought there couldn’t really be anything more interesting on this record, there’s “Events” on side two. The track combines three pre-recorded voices (each reciting Hart Crane’s poem, “Legend”) and a barrage of electronic sounds. Amazing.
The record finishes off with some more electronic work and some small-group avant garde improvisation. If you ever see this do not hesitate to pick it up; anyone remotely interested in electronic music would be quite pleased.
- Waxidermy - Discogs
WIRELESS FANTASY was composed in 1960. The composer writes:
"The birth of wireless communication ushered in an exciting period which lasted from 1899 to 1925 when the Amateur Spark Era came to an end. Much romance and nostalgia still remain from these times."
Among the American pioneers of this period perhaps none is better known than Lee De Forrest, whose inventions led to the development of radio as we know it today. To honor him, a group of dedicated old timers formed an organization known as "De Forrest Pioneers".
It is for this organization that Mr. Ussachevsky was asked to produce an electronic work utilizing some wireless code signals as basic sound material. He was introduced to a radio pioneer, Mr. Ed G. Raser, who has an extensive collection of old wireless amateur gear in his W2ZI Historical Wireless Museum in Trenton, N. J. It is there that Mr. Ussachevsky recorded such now seldom-heard sounds as code signals produced on the old spark generators. The insertion of a fragment from "Parsifal," electronically treated to resemble a short-wave transmission, was a result of Mr. Ussachevsky's learning that Lee De Forrest used this work as the first ever to be broadcast anywhere.
Adds Mr. Ussachevsky:
"The first signal is 'QST', a standard call to all stations to stand by for a message of general interest. Then comes the first old open gap spark-generated code, 'DF' (for De Forrest), the identifying call of the famous Manhattan Beach Station which could be heard from Newfoundland to the Caribbean. This is soon followed by 'WA', associated with the Waldorf-Astoria Station, built in 1910, and then 'NY'. Under this is played a montage of wireless signals, until slowly the orchestral composition emerges. Toward the end ‘DOC DF’, the affectionate nickname by which De Forrest was known to his friends, is tapped by Mr. Raser. The FANTASY ends with the conventional code ‘AR’—end of message—and ‘GN’— good night”.
- From the linernotes.
(CP² at Emusic)
New World Records
for posting on Emusic, as an example this fine album from 1980:
From the linernotes at New World Records:
BARTON McLEAN
DIMENSIONS III (for saxophone and tape)
DIMENSIONS IV (for saxophone and tape)
Regni with electronic tape
KARL KORTE
SYMMETRICS
Regni, with the University of Texas Percussion Ensemble (Bruce Radek, Mark Singer,
Steve Harris, Joe Clark); George Frock, conductor
KEVIN HANLON
VARIATIONS (for saxophone and tape delays)
Regni and tape recorders
Symphonic appearances have also included the orchestras of Leningrad, Odessa, St. Petersburg, Israel, Baltimore, Los Angeles, The National Symphony ( Washington, D.C.) and Rotterdam, Holland.
His solo saxophone recordings Extended Saxophone on CRI, Three Dark Paintings on Open Loop and El Amor on Sons of Sound have all received international acclaim.
Mr. Regni is an active participant in music for television, recordings and film and was recipient of a Gold Record and Grammy recognition for his work on the television series Twin Peaks. He has played on the soundtracks for over 40 major motion pictures and has recorded a vast array of music from Classical, Chamber, Jazz, Pop, and over 20 Original Broadway Cast Albums as a concert and studio musician in New York City. The acclaimed TV documentary of West Side Story conducted by Leonard Bernstein with Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carreras features him as principal solo clarinetist.
He has been a visiting professor of saxophone at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin, Saxophone Professor at The College of New Jersey and presently is adjunct professor of saxophone at The Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VirginiaDimensions IV for Saxophone and Tape by Barton McLean
Well my account has just rolled over, so I guess here we go!
Ragnar Grippe - Musique Douze