Re: [microsound] feldman

[Joshua Maremont <thermal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 09:32 PM 6/4/01 +0200, ronnie sundin wrote:
> the "All Piano" 4CD-set
> by morton feldman but don't know if that's a good place to start? i don't
> have any other works by feldman
> but think it's time to start checking him out. recommendations?

I will second the recommendation for "For Samuel Beckett," my favorite - at 
the moment - of the works by Feldman with which I am familiar; I have the 
lovely recording on Hat Art, and at least one other has been made more 
recently.  For an introduction, the recent CPO budget-line 2xCD package of 
four live recordings of orchestral works from the 1970s provides a large 
helping of music with little financial strain.  For the solo piano work, 
"For Bunita Marcus" (mine is on Col Legno, and several others are 
available) is a small-scale (single CD) piece suggested for those 
hesitating over the price of a multi-disc set.  Then again my own 
introduction was by way of "Words and Music" by Feldman and Samuel Beckett 
(on Montaigne) and of "Durations" and "Coptic Light" (paired on CPO), both 
splendid.  About the only place I would not recommend starting with Feldman 
is his "Neither" opera, based on a libretto from Beckett, and I only note 
it because this rather dark and strange piece is unrepresentative of the 
sounds for which Feldman is better known; this treat is best kept for later 
exploration, although Hat Art's limited pressing (in the all-cardboard 
digifile packages I wish were more common) is a reason not to wait too long.

PS - For those in SF, my rather non-micro DJ nights this month can be 
investigated at the link below.

NP - Candy Lo

Joshua Maremont / Thermal - mailto:thermal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Boxman Studies Label - http://www.boxmanstudies.com/