Please, browse through intermedia and interdisciplinary conceptual journal Aspen produced in the 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Find an audio piece (most pieces are combined with concepts) and comment upon it. Include the title of the work and the number of the issue. Be prepared to expound upon your comments in class:
http://www.ubu.com/aspen/aspen1/index.html
I wanted to share a link from a more recent sound installation by David Byrne called "Playing the Building"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6cvCafcPGQ
It's not from Aspen, but it captures some of the concepts we discussed in class. In this installation David Byrne set up an old organ and connected it electronically to various parts of the building to mechanically produce sounds. I thought it was really interesting, so I thought I would share the link.
Aspen no. 9, item 11
ReplyDelete"The Joyous Lake"
I was impressed by both the ambient and folk sounds used in this piece considering the time frame they originated from. The piece itself struck me as unstable, as in not a rhythm that's introduced in the beginning and repeats throughout the piece but a series of notes that evolve.
I also felt the piece had some African influences, specifically with the drums and also a bit with the flute.
Personally I feel the piece represents maybe someone sitting on a train passing by a lake and experiencing different landscapes and people throughout the journey and those differences are portrayed by the music.
Christopher Tree, Spontaneous Sound
"Played spontaneously by Christopher Tree on a collection of 150 instruments from many parts of the world."
I was impressed by this piece and how atmospheric it is. As with "The Joyous Lake" the use of the flute in it is apparent and also similar. I like the pauses between the keys and how there's time for the music and the echo of the music itself. There's also some unusual sounds found in this piece. One of them sounds like the ringing of an alarm clock, another like a car engine.
Overall both piece remind me of what would later become "Dream Pop" and "Dark Ambient" music.