- "Sub Rosa presents mostly unpublished works by minimalist composer/vocalist/performer Charlemagne Palestine. Charlemagne Palestine wrote intense, ritualistic music in the 1970s, intended by the composer to rub against audiences' expectations of what is beautiful and meaningful in music. A composer-performer, he always performed his own works as soloist. His earliest works were compositions for carillon and electronic drones, and he is best known for his intensely performed piano works. These unpublished pieces from the mid-'70s are works built on the same principles that he developed and established over the years for the piano. This is a unique variation on composition that introduces a perpetual rise inside a continuum of sound."
"All of the Strumming Music manifestations seem to have originated from Charlemagne's physical relationship with the colossal carillon bells in the tower of St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York. I met Charlemagne Palestine in 1968. The intensity of his listening impressed me as the intensity of his playing would later, when I heard him play on the carillon and the bells to 'his church.' I realized later, when Charlemagne had started to develop his series of piano pieces called Strumming, that he was assaulting that concrete ceiling and literally pushing through its three feet to release the sonic energy in the piano, much as he had with the carillon. Charlemagne's interest and work in electronic music increased in the late '60s, and in 1970, he decamped to southern California where he became a graduate student working with Morton Subotnick. It was during this year at CalArts (1970-71) that Charlemagne developed an approach to the piano that was not only extremely repetitive and physical, but predicated on the theory that, given the right stimulus, the instrument had a voice of its own and could produce a whole array of high overtones that seem to jump out on their own as if by magic. Over the next few years, he developed and polished the music that came to be known simply as 'Strumming.' The rapid alternation between single notes and chords and different registers became a technique that he seemed to own, and it really only worked with this magic piano. 'Strumming' was the physical technique; the melodies and harmonies that resulted made the music breathe and feel alive. After a while, the ear doesn't distinguish between notes that are sounded by hammers and those which are."
--extract from the liner notes by Ingram Marshall.
Please note that disc 1 is the original recording of "Strumming", as originally issued by Shandar on LP (and later, New Tone on CD). Discs 2 and 3 are previously unreleased in any form."
- Forced Exposure newsletter.
Back for a couple of days after going to the Olympics before going on holiday soon. I gather from the UK press that you didn't get the full opening ceremony in the States, with bits edited out. I loved the James Bond sketch, and Rowan Atkinson's contribution. But why was Paul McCartney there? I did see a tweet saying it was because they wanted to clear the stadium quickly at the end! Sadly we had to watch it on TV too, as I couldn't get tickets. Over the weekend we did see the cycling Road Races- shame the tactics kept Cav from Gold, but good to see a UK silver in the women's race in the wet. We're returning to London to see the time trials tomorrow, before heading off on holiday next week.
Little music being played today here - I have the television on going between the twenty or so Olympic channels! I've just been watching some white water rafting - new to me.
I had never heard of a brogrammer before. It's amazing to me the proliferation of distinct terms with their own definitions, all of which come down to "that asshole at work."
Broyer says, "I love nothing more than stripping off my shirt and crushing some depositions with a Four Loko in hand, Skrillex in the air, and my boys at my side. Fuck yeah...Yo, want to knock out some pull-ups?"
I totally should have broyered out last week at my Court of Appeals argument. Three male judges and three male attorneys making argument so they probably would have joined me. YOLO!
The Zammuto is good (and $2.99 at Amazon). It has a ton of similarities to The Books, but a lot more live instrumentation and very few found vocals. I actually really like the cover art, but also couldn't say why.
So far this hasn't really clicked with me. It's fine, though.
Listened earlier to the Lumineers album that was in that 99 cent sale. Did nothing for me. I've quite liked all the others I picked up.
ETA. This started happening to me yesterday. Is it just me or is that Bowie album image not displaying? Has something changed? I'm using the same code I've always used and it just displays back to me as code when I submit. If you all can see the code too instead of the picture, can you see what's wrong with it?
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Craig
I have been working my way through this one today, more than halfway finished.
- "Sub Rosa presents mostly unpublished works by minimalist composer/vocalist/performer Charlemagne Palestine. Charlemagne Palestine wrote intense, ritualistic music in the 1970s, intended by the composer to rub against audiences' expectations of what is beautiful and meaningful in music. A composer-performer, he always performed his own works as soloist. His earliest works were compositions for carillon and electronic drones, and he is best known for his intensely performed piano works. These unpublished pieces from the mid-'70s are works built on the same principles that he developed and established over the years for the piano. This is a unique variation on composition that introduces a perpetual rise inside a continuum of sound."
"All of the Strumming Music manifestations seem to have originated from Charlemagne's physical relationship with the colossal carillon bells in the tower of St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York. I met Charlemagne Palestine in 1968. The intensity of his listening impressed me as the intensity of his playing would later, when I heard him play on the carillon and the bells to 'his church.' I realized later, when Charlemagne had started to develop his series of piano pieces called Strumming, that he was assaulting that concrete ceiling and literally pushing through its three feet to release the sonic energy in the piano, much as he had with the carillon. Charlemagne's interest and work in electronic music increased in the late '60s, and in 1970, he decamped to southern California where he became a graduate student working with Morton Subotnick. It was during this year at CalArts (1970-71) that Charlemagne developed an approach to the piano that was not only extremely repetitive and physical, but predicated on the theory that, given the right stimulus, the instrument had a voice of its own and could produce a whole array of high overtones that seem to jump out on their own as if by magic. Over the next few years, he developed and polished the music that came to be known simply as 'Strumming.' The rapid alternation between single notes and chords and different registers became a technique that he seemed to own, and it really only worked with this magic piano. 'Strumming' was the physical technique; the melodies and harmonies that resulted made the music breathe and feel alive. After a while, the ear doesn't distinguish between notes that are sounded by hammers and those which are."
--extract from the liner notes by Ingram Marshall.
Please note that disc 1 is the original recording of "Strumming", as originally issued by Shandar on LP (and later, New Tone on CD). Discs 2 and 3 are previously unreleased in any form."
- Forced Exposure newsletter.
Find out more about this album at The Unthanks website including a stream of the brilliant King of Rome
There's not much that I won't try for $.99.
Micachu & the Shapes - Never
You're a better man than I, amclark2.
Craig
(url=>amz)
The brogramming movement has pretty much ruined Skrillex for me.
Thanks lowlife for pointing out the free Jane Siberry albums - this is really good.
Just finished:
Definitely dubby. Thanks amclark2!
Now playing:
New solo project from Nick Zammuto, formerly half of The Books.
Craig
Non-ironic brogrammers at work (and I know these guys).
Seriously love this album.
Craig, you should try that look out; tell the judge you're a broyer; we'll put together a pool to bail you out.
How is that Zammuto? I had no idea it was a Books member; hate the cover art, but not sure why.
The Zammuto is good (and $2.99 at Amazon). It has a ton of similarities to The Books, but a lot more live instrumentation and very few found vocals. I actually really like the cover art, but also couldn't say why.
So far this hasn't really clicked with me. It's fine, though.
Craig
Dolphins Into the Future - On Seafaring Isolation
Tomas Phillips & Jason Bivins - Blau
Listened earlier to the Lumineers album that was in that 99 cent sale. Did nothing for me. I've quite liked all the others I picked up.
ETA. This started happening to me yesterday. Is it just me or is that Bowie album image not displaying? Has something changed? I'm using the same code I've always used and it just displays back to me as code when I submit. If you all can see the code too instead of the picture, can you see what's wrong with it?
Craig