Electronic Music/Musique Concrete

various artists compilation - Electronic Music/Musique Concrete: A Panorama of Experimental Music, Volume 1

Recorded under the supervision of Pierre Henry, in collaboration with the sound laboratories of the West German Radio, Italian Radio, French Radio and Television, and Studio Apsome in Paris.

The liner notes say:

Electronic music and musique concrete offer incredible possibilities to composers of imagination and vision. The works of eleven such composers are represented on these two discs and the rich diversity in approach and achievement testifies to the full blown presence of a new and vital art form.

In our century, one of a composer's principal functions has been to explore his environment and translate his discoveries into meaningful sonic symbols. Viewed from this angle, the development of electronic music and musique concrete over the past twenty years has followed a course of inevitability; creative artists are interpreting our contemporary life with sounds uniquely expressive of man's flight into technology and space.

In this album the listener will encounter some fascinating music that gives exciting artistic expression to the moods and tenors of today.

Note: There is a fragment of the first LP that has been broken. That means only the first tracks on each side of this LP are unplayable. All other tracks play okay. Apologies in advance for those missing tracks, but the music on this compilation is essential electronic music which makes this still worthy of posting.

UPDATE: Check the comments for the missing tracks. Thanks hamor.
ANOTHER UPDATE: The missing tracks provided by hamor are provided in the files.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Luciano Berio - Momenti {7:06}

2. Luciano Berio - Omaggio a Joyce {6:16}

3. Bruno Maderna - Continuo {8:03}

Side 2

1. Luc Ferrari - Visage V {10:37}

2. Iannis Xenakis - Orient-Occident {10:38}

3. Francois Dufrene and Jean Baronnet - U 47 {3:28}

Side 3

1. Mauricio Kagel - Transition I {12:55}

2. Herbert Eimert - Selection I {9:45}

Side 4

1. Pierre Henry - Entité {5:40}

2. György Ligeti - Artikulation {3:45}

3. André Boucourechliev - Texte I {6:12}

4. Henri Pousseur - Scambi {6:16}

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Ceremony

Spooky Tooth and Pierre Henry - Ceremony

Electronic music pioneer Pierre Henry collaborates with Gary Wright, then a member of blues-based hard rock band Spooky Tooth, for this concept album revolving around a Mass. Even though this album was Pierre Henry's idea and Spooky Tooth were called in as a session band to record some songs for Henry, Ceremony was sold as a Spooky Tooth album. From what I understand, Spooky Tooth fans generally enjoyed the previous album Spooky Two and were looking forward to their next release. Most of the fans seemed to be rather disappointed with Ceremony with some still hating it up to this day. Spooky Tooth's rock music is blended with Pierre Henry's electronics throughout the album. The mix works for some while it doesn't for others. Overall, I think this album rocks.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Have Mercy {7:50}

2. Jubilation {8:21}

3. Confession {6:46}

Side 2

1. Prayer {10:48}

2. Offering {3:25}

3. Hosanna {7:35}

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Pierre Schaeffer

Pierre Schaeffer - L'Oeuvre Musicale

* originally posted on January 30, 2007

This triple set culls everything you need to hear from Pierre Schaeffer. The "creator" of musique concrète is well known by name, but his reputation supersedes the exposure of his actual works. Yet, everyone interested in electro-acoustic music should listen to them, if only to understand where everything that followed the man's pioneer compositions came from. This edition was put together by Daniel Teruggi, mainly from a previous collection established by François Bayle in 1990 for the composer's 80th anniversary. Disc one contains "The Incunabula," the founding works of the genre most people have heard of but very little had a chance to listen to. "Cinq Études de Bruits" and "Diapason Concertino" sound crude, but are much eloquent about Schaeffer's vision. The 25-minute "Suite pour 14 Instruments," an utterly strange assemblage of diverse musical genres into a concrete suite, is the most articulated work here. Disc two is devoted to Schaeffer and Pierre Henry's collaborations from the early '50s. The star is "Symphonie pour un Homme Seul" (Symphony for a Man Alone), the first classic of the genre. Also included is "Bidule en Ut." Henry's "Écho d'Orphée" rounds up this CD. It is dedicated to Schaeffer and was put together in 1988 from bits and pieces of their collaborative works "Orphée 51" and "Orphée 53." Disc three presents Schaeffer's revisions from the late '50s and later works (late '70s), therefore illustrating the complex relationship the man kept with his creation. The accompanying 80-page booklet contains essays by such luminaries as Michel Chion and Bayle, all translated to English. L'Oeuvre Musicale is an essential item for anyone interested in the historical aspect of musique concrète. (Francois Couture, All-Music Guide)

Tracklisting:

CD1 Les Incunables 1948-1979

1. Cinq etudes de bruits: Etude aux chemins de fer {2:53}

2. Cinq etudes de bruits: Etude aux tourniquets {1:57}

3. Cinq etudes de bruits: Etude violette {3:21}

4. Cinq etudes de bruits: Etude noire {3:58}

5. Cinq etudes de bruits: pathetique {4:07}

6. Diapason Concertino: Allegro {1:20}

7. Diapason Concertino: Andante {2:21}

8. Diapason Concertino: Intermezzo {2:47}

9. Diapason Concertino: Andantino - Final {3:27}

10. Variations sur une flute mexicaine {3:53}

11. Suite pour 14 instruments: Prelude {3:24}

12. Suite pour 14 instruments: Courante/Roucante {6:42}

13. Suite pour 14 instruments: Rigodon {5:35}

14. Suite pour 14 instruments: Vagotte/Gavotte {2:45}

15. Suite pour 14 instruments: Sphoradie {7:06}

16. L'oiseau RAI {2:55}

CD2 Les Oeuvres Communes 1950-1953 and 1988 (w/Pierre Henry)

1. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Prosopopee I {2:57}

2. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Partita {1:11}

3. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Valse {0:56}

4. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Erotica {1:20}

5. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Scherzo {2:32}

6. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Collectif {0:58}

7. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Prosopopee II {1:01}

8. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Eroica {1:53}

9. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Apostrophe {2:23}

10. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Intermezzo {1:58}

11. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Cadence {1:08}

12. Symphonie pour un homme seul: Strette {3:13}

13. Bidule en ut {1:59}

14. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: D'un sillon l'autre {6:12}

15. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Clavecin sarcastique {3:29}

16. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Eurydice {2:50}

17. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Harpe et violon {1:05}

18. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Jazz et plaintes {2:35}

19. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Le biguinage {2:59}

20. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Premier air, elements {3:54}

21. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Divinites du Styx {1:49}

22. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Debat {2:00}

23. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Les tatons {2:43}

24. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: L'amour aveugle {1:02}

25. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Voix interieures {3:49}

26. Echo d'Orphee, pour P. Schaeffer: Grand air {5:24}

CD3

Les Revisions 1948-1979

1. Quatre etudes de bruits: Etude violette {3:19}

2. Quatre etudes de bruits: Etude aux tourniquets {1:57}

3. Quatre etudes de bruits: Etude aux chemins de fer {3:45}

4. Quatre etudes de bruits: Etude pathetique {3:32}

5. Concertino Diapason: Allegro, andante et intermezzo {2:44}

6. Concertino Diapason: Andantino et final {1:47}

7. Suite 14: Courante, Roucante et Rigodon {2:17}

8. Suite 14: Vagotte {1:48}

9. Suite 14: Sphoradie {5:22}

10. Masquerage {3:50}

11. Les paroles degelees {4:30}

Les Oeuvres Posterieures 1957-1959 & 1975-1979

12. Etude aux allures {3:40}

13. Etude aux sons animes {4:22}

14. Etude aux objets: Objets exposes {3:37}

15. Etude aux objets: Objets etendus {2:57}

16. Etude aux objets: Objets multiplies {3:04}

17. Etude aux objets: Objets lies {3:09}

18. Etude aux objets: Objets rassembles {4:32}

19. Le triedre fertile: Impromptu {3:33}

20. Le triedre fertile: Strette {8:11}

21. Bilude {2:17}

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