Rhys Chatham's "Two Gongs": The New Heroin

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So I just got the long-awaited, effin'-years-in-the-making Table of the Elements Chatham box and discovered, to my chagrin, that a lot of the proto-Branca stuff I remember being pretty great from the old NMDS days actually sounds pretty dinky now. "Guitar Trio" and, especially, "Drastic Classicism" are keepers, though.

In any event, what I wasn't expecting was "Two Gongs" from 1971 (recorded in the '80s), which takes up the first disc. It's just Chatham and another guy keeping two gongs roaring and resonating for over an hour and it's one of the most beautiful, weirdly engaging things I've ever heard. And I can't stop listening to it. I've had it on almost all day. (People stopping by my office keep asking me if "that noise" is coming from outside.) Really, if you're into this sort of thing, it's really quite something.

Anyway, just wanted to share, evoke commentary on the box and his ouevre, spark a C/D, whatever.

― Lee G (Lee G), Monday, 5 May 2003 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

You're making my eyes tear up with your mention of NMDS. I used to love to look through their catalog. Never bought anything though. I wonder why they went under? . . .

That sounds interesting.

I wish they'd put on Tom Johnson's Nine Bells on CD.

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 5 May 2003 23:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Sigh. NMDS. I was a buyer at a record store back during those heady years, and how I looked forward to opening that box. Of course, they were usually out of the stuff I wanted most. Wonder why they went under indeed.

Afraid I don't know the Johnson piece you mention.

― Lee G (Lee G), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 01:20 (twenty-two years ago)

In that piece he walks around a set of suspended (I guess--I've never seen it) burglar alarm bells, and plays them in various patterns. I'm not sure how similar it would be to what you described, since it has more of a slow, meditative quality, with lots of space, but what you described made me think of it.

I still have some of those old catalogs. I would have a couple more if I hadn't loaned them out and never gotten them back. :( They make useful discographical (?) sources.

― Rockist Scientist, Tuesday, 6 May 2003 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmm. Sounds interesting, but it doesn't sound much like "Two Gongs." Imagine one of those slow-blooming gong washes they use to announce a change of scenery to exotic Asia in a cheesy movie. Now imagine that gong wash prolonged and varied for over an hour.

― Lee G (Lee G), Tuesday, 6 May 2003 01:51 (twenty-two years ago)

twenty years pass...

I am listening to Two Gongs for the first time rn and it is legit energizing me. I don't think I have listened to a Rhys Chatham composition or recording that I didn't like (granted I haven't listened to THAT many but still)

What else sounds like this? Just gongs but no "healing"?

― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:28 (two years ago)

damn this is loud
i love it

― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:36 (two years ago)

Second side of the (recently reissued) Black Record by La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela also gives good gong

― Ward Fowler, Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:40 (two years ago)

more like two dongs amirite

serious answer for me would be those javanese court gamelan recordings on nonesuch. i know it's "world music" but the court gamelan is so slow and dark sounding compared to the usual that i rarely feel like i'm getting a pedicure when i listen to it

― the late great, Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:40 (two years ago)

Interesting. No dong jokes pls.

This recording had a similar effect on me -- recommend listening on headphones to really get the full feel (it's not exclusively gongs but it is primarily) the setting of the recording is also significant
https://rhythmplex.bandcamp.com/album/house-blessing

― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:40 (two years ago)

Thomas Koner did this kind of thing too, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0z-87tt-6w

― brimstead, Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:45 (two years ago)

from wiki: “The album contains only one electronically controlled timbre, the gong.”

― brimstead, Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:46 (two years ago)

Not exactly gongs but some of Harry Bertoia and Zev's recordings give out a similar feeling

― Logacta championship 1978 (North London heats) (Matt #2), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:55 (two years ago)

Both Bertoia and Zev I mean, afaik they didn't record together

― Logacta championship 1978 (North London heats) (Matt #2), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:56 (two years ago)

Z'ev, I meant to say, not Zev

― Logacta championship 1978 (North London heats) (Matt #2), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 21:56 (two years ago)

Michael Vogel plays his gongs, lots of cool high pitched bowing type sounds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA0EKEGsw9w

― brimstead, Wednesday, 16 August 2023 22:15 (two years ago)

dang that thing is huge. one of the things i like most about gong recordings is they don't really lose their power on repeated listen. i could listen to the same gong recording every day for two weeks and hear/notice/focus on something different each time.

thanks for the suggestions folks!

― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 22:20 (two years ago)

Can you go wrong with a gong? Here's Mark Wastell to keep up the 100% record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTygecIPdHA

― Logacta championship 1978 (North London heats) (Matt #2), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 22:43 (two years ago)

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