RFI: Giacinto Scelsi -TKRDG

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I'm listening to the Naxos recording (perf Ensemble Aisthesis) of this 1968 piece for 6-pt male choir, electric guitar, and percussion (trio?). It's remarkable and different from anything I've heard, like some kind of primitive animalistic ritual featuring a mix of guttural sounds, simple melodic fragments and held tones with sometimes surprisingly raw and simple guitar and percussion that build into intense frenzies. I'm really interested in knowing more about the piece, e.g. what principles were involved in composing it, whether he was directly intending references to any popular or non-Western idioms, what the score is like, how the piece has been received critically and publicly, etc. But I can't find anything on the web (other than just that it's listed in lists of his works). Does anyone know anything about the piece?

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 03:29 (nineteen years ago)

I clicked on this thread by accident, Sundar, and I know nothing about this thing, but you make it sound really interesting.

― Redd Scharlach (Ken L), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 03:32 (nineteen years ago)

Heh, thanks. I don't really know your taste, and I can see this turning off a lot of people, but it's probably worth checking out if you're interested in this sort of thing.

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 04:06 (nineteen years ago)

we're both getting to this guy at around the same time, sundar -- I bought a few recordings of his stuff in the late 90's, very austere, minimal, brutal, appreciated it somewhat, my favorite disc was Zender's recording of 'Anahit' on Kairos, then moved on. his name kept coming up in awed, hushed tones totally out of proportion to my own reaction though, so last november I finally tracked down the Jurg Wytterach box of major orchestral works, the first major recordings. Now I pretty much get the reverence and why there are people out there in all seriousness saying things like 'before and after scelsi', this is some of the most powerful music I've ever heard.

I haven't heard the Naxos recording, I'll track it down. The next two records you buy (trust me, sir) are the Wytterach box and the Editions RZ archive of period recordings.

http://www.frankperry.co.uk/GIACINTO%20SCELSI.htm

http://www.medieval.org/music/modern/scelsi.html

― milton parker (Jon L), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 04:27 (nineteen years ago)

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000AKPNX.08.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Yeah i've heard this as part of vocal performances given at the Huddersfield contemporary festival where some musicologist-type was on to discuss this as well as other vocal pieces of his that were playing (Broadcast on the radio - sadly these are not archived anymore). I remember thinking this ws the highlight of that programme and how i hadn't checked out anything ever since i heard those str quartets and the Kairos disc.

All I can remember from the discussion is his interest in voices came from listening to the japanese singer Michiko Hirayama's improvisations. He wd trancribe those and add it to what he ws writing. As to the perc i remember him mentioning hearing something abt chanelling Indian music but it starts getting a bit vague. xp

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 10:27 (nineteen years ago)