Re: [microsound] a new primitivism?

[Ian Guthrie Yeager <iyeager@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> What about orchestration, which is all about exploiting different timbral
> qualities ? 

Of course, but always in service of melodic and harmonic themes and ideas.


>And the search for a "tone" has always been important for
> classical musicians. 

Of course. This is true of all musics everywhere.


>And then there's the more recent extended techniques
> tradition which is all about the search for new sounds and exploration of
> timbre.

Well, like you say, "more recent." And that's what we're talking about.
I think once Schoenberg had 'exhausted' just-intoned, 12-note, tone-based
composition (of course he hadn't, but....), composers were looking for
other dimensions. Timbre is a pretty obvious direction which has
traditionally been woefully underexplored in Western "art" music, the
importance of orchestration and good tone production notwithstanding. 

Anyway, I agree with your points, Andrei, I don't feel like I'm in
disagreement. Just different points of view. 



In conclusion:

I saw a great show here in Bloomington, IN recently. Darin Grey from St.
Louis opened with a fantastic set of solo bass (electric) music. At times
it reminded me of musique concrete, very noise oriented. Lot's of nice
sounds, some elicited with mallets, metal objects, etc. Also he used delay
to create sounds, and other stuff too. Nice stuff. 

Then, the 4-tet of Bhob Rainey, Greg Kelley, Axel Doerner, and Andrea
Neumann played a really fine set of improv. Really skillful combinations
of sounds, blending in some very creative and interesting ways. It was
effective. 

Picked up Axel + Kevin Drumm cd on Erstwhile (very nice), Bhob + Greg
Kelly on Selektion (very fab), and Andrea Neumann & Toshimaru Nakamura's
At0n cd (very excellent).  

I recomend checking out any/all of these artists in any combination if
possible. 

Also, I just saw a great show, for those of you, who like myself, are
still into "bands" (how quaint!).

Panoply Acadamy Glee Club, from Bloomington Indiana played a fucking
awesome set as per their usual. Have y'all heard of these guys? Really
stellar, creative band. They've got stuff out on Secretly Canadian
records. I really recomend checking this stuff out, it's avant-changeling
pop-rock creativity all the way. Lot's of noise makes, a Boss Dr Sample,
guitars, drums, percs, bass...

Also playing was this totally rocking Stooges-esque band, Oneida. They're
from Brooklyn, and rock in the way that evokes smells of oil paint and
vegan cooking. Highly recomended. 

-Ian