2 posts tagged “classical”
Since I wrote my Satie post I have discovered electronic duo ISAN's versions of Satie's three Gymnopedies, which add some voices and glitchy percussion to the original compositions while retaining the composer's intentions (I think). Here is Gymnopedie No. 1, "Lento et douloureux"--
My knowledge of contemporary classical and experimental music is minuscule, but I have loved Ingram Marshall's Fog Tropes since Richard Kadrey plugged it in his 1995 novel Kamikaze L'Amour and it sounded interesting enough that I bought a CD of it. The piece consists of a tape of foghorns (from San Francisco Bay) and a score for live brass ensemble; it sounds mysterious and mesmerizing, haunting and soothing. For several months my daughter played it every night at bedtime. It is the piece that catapulted Marshall to a successful career as a commissioned composer*. Thus I made sure to attend the Cornell Electroacoustic Music Center's Leap Day Concert on Friday, which was to feature a performance of Fog Tropes with Ingram Marshall himself in attendance. The live group for this performance was a brass sextet; in his introduction, Marshall professed it a rare treat to hear a tuba playing along with the foghorns. It was a rare treat for me to hear Fog Tropes performed live at all, and I left with that feeling of having experienced real transcendence that is the gift of the very best art. (And I got to shake hands with Marshall, too!) Thanks to the iSound Player, I can offer Fog Tropes right here, as a stream or a free download (if the download doesn't work from here, then go here), and three more Ingram Marshall compositions as well.
* Based on the program notes by Stephen Gorbos.
