A Charles Ives premiere recording in 2023, is that possible? His personal copy of 114 Songs bears handwritten suggestions on how several of them might be orchestrated and gathered into “sets” for performance. That was as far as he got with most of them, but thanks to the largess of James Sinclair and others, Ives' imagination has been posthumously fulfilled in a new recording of the complete Sets for Chamber Orchestra, which we sample in this show.
We also honor George Russell for his centenary, noting how his influence as a theorist and educator eclipsed his talent as a composer. We hear Paul Bley performing Carla Bley via our 50 years ago in the avant-garde feature. And we survey several brand-new albums of note, featuring orchestral works by Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Georg Friedrich Haas, free improv by Craig Taborn, Mat Maneri, Joëlle Léandre and James Ilgenfritz, crossover music by Anna Meredith, and unusual takes on drumming by Sara Glojnarić and Michael Valentine West.
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Flotation Device 2023-06-25: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: George Russell at 100 [0:00]
1. [1:33] James Ilgenfritz: #frontmatter. From #entrainments (Infrequent Seams, 2023) with Angelika Niescier (alto saxophone), Nathan Bontrager (cello), James Ilgenfritz (contrabass), Gerry Hemingway (drums), Christian Heck (recording engineer)
2. [8:01] Carla Bley: Olhos de Gato. From Paul Bley/NHØP (SteepleChase, 1973) with Paul Bley (piano), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass). NOTE: Recorded July 1, 1973
3. [13:36] Armaroli/Kujala/Schiaffini/Sjöström: More Windows #6. From More Windows & Small Mirrors, Milano Dialogues part two (Leo, 2023) with Sergio Armaroli (vibraphone), Veli Kujala (quartertone concert accordion), Harri Sjöström (soprano and sopranino sax), Giancarlo Schiaffini (trombone), Raffele Stefani (recording engineer)
4. [20:28] George Russell: Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature - Events 1, 8. From Electronic Sonata For Souls Loved By Nature (Flying Dutchman, 1969) with George Russell (piano), Jan Garbarek (tenor saxophone), Manfred Schoof (trumpet), Terje Rypdal (electric guitar), Red Mitchell (bass), John Christensen (drums), Bjørnar Andresen, Göte Nilsson (recording engineers), Cal Floyd (field recordings). NOTE: Recorded live April 28, 1969 at the Sonja Henie/Niels Onstad Kunstsenter, Høvikodden, Norway. Tape parts realized at Elektronmusikstudion (EMS), Swedish Radio, Stockholm. African music recorded 1967 in Nile headquarters region of North Uganda⠀
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SET 2: The primordial and the parallel realm [30:18]
1. [34:45] Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Archora. From Archora/Aiōn (Sono Luminus, 2023) with Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Eva Ollikainen (conductor), Daniel Shores (recording engineer)
2. [55:34] Outro with Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Aiōn
3. [1:01:32] Anna Meredith: Nautilus. From Nuc (Mercury KX, 2023) with Ligeti Quartet: Mandhira de Saram, Patrick Dawkins (violins), Richard Jones (viola), Val Welbanks (cello), Benedic Lamdin, Nick Watson, Peter Miles (recording engineers)⠀
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SET 3: Fractured saxophones [1:06:26]
1. [1:07:55] Michael Valentine West: fractured conversations. From 8th Annual Report (Mid Year Edition) (Unexplained Sounds, 2022)
2. [1:13:33] Georg Friedrich Haas: Concerto for Baritone Saxophone and Orchestra (excerpts). From SAX: Contemporary Concertos for Saxophone (Wergo, 2023) with Marcus Weiss (baritone saxophone), WDR Sinfonieorchester, Emilio Pomàrico (conductor), Christoph Gronarz (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2008⠀
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SET 4: New tricks from old friends [1:27:42]
1. [1:30:29] Sara Glojnarić: Latitudes #2. From Chattering Birds (Wergo, 2023) with Leonie Klein (drum set), Angela Öztanil (recording engineer)
2. [1:39:26] Charles Ives: Set No. 7 for chamber orchestra (Water colors) - 1. At Sea, 2. Swimmers, 3. The Pond (Remembrance), 4. Full Fathom Five (A sea dirge). From Complete Sets for Chamber Orchestra (Naxos, 2023) with Orchestra New England, James Sinclair (conductor), Benjamin Schwartz, Jonathan Galle (recording engineers). NOTE: Premiere recording, realized by James Sinclair and Kenneth Singleton
3. [1:45:13] Mat Maneri, Joëlle Léandre, Craig Taborn: R and e (excerpts). From hEARoes (RogueArt, 2023) with Craig Taborn (piano), Mat Maneri (viola), Joëlle Léandre (double bass), Maïkôl Seminatore (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live February 12, 2022 at Festival Sons d'hiver, Théâtre d'Ivry Antoine Vitez, Ivry-sur-Seine, France
4. [1:53:30] Outro with Charles Ives: Sets for Chamber Orchestra
Photo credits: Michael Valentine West via the artist, Charles Ives by Halley Erskine, George Russell by Carol Friedman, Georg Friedrich Haas via Universal Edition, Paul Bley via Wikimedia Commons, hEARoes (Craig Taborn, Mat Maneri, Joëlle Léandre) by Margaux Rodrigues, Anna Thorvaldsdottir by Saga Sigurdardottir, Anna Meredith via the artist, James Ilgenfritz by Popelar Martin, Leonie Klein by Ras Rotter.