Dai Fujikura joins us in conversation for the February 2023 premiere of his Wavering Worlds with Seattle Symphony. His life journey from Osaka to London, his musical influences (which range from Darmstadt avant-gardists to Sibelius and the soundtrack to Alien 3), and his newest—improvisational—recording are among the topics covered in this interview with Flotation Device host Michael Schell.
Plus, we've got free improv from Portugal, France and New York, subversive opera from Iran, radical organ music from Austria and Alvin Lucier, and a sampling from the latest batch of John Zorn’s Bagatelles. We honor the centenary of beloved composer and teacher Ursula Mamlok, and the golden anniversaries of Elliott Carter’s formidable Third String Quartet and Ornette Coleman’s lone foray into North African cross-culturalism. Extraordinary music for extraordinary listeners, originally aired January 22, 2023.
Annotated playlist and photo credits with Comments.
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Flotation Device 2023-01-29: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: The Master Musicians of New York [0:00]
1. [1:17] Ornette Coleman, The Master Musicians of Jajouka: Midnight Sunrise (alternate take). From Dancing in Your Head (Horizon/A&M, 1977, reissued with the alternate take in 2000 by A&M/Verve/Universal) with Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone), Robert Palmer (clarinet), The Master Musicians of Joujouka [sic], Steve Goldstein (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded January 1973 in Jajouka, Morocco
2. [5:07] Sana Nagano: Siamese World. From Anime Mundi (577, 2022) with Sana Nagano (violin, effects), Karl Berger (piano, vibraphone), Billy Martin (drums, percussion), Chris Bittner (recording engineer)
3. [8:42] Dai Fujikura: Mina. From Mina (Minabel, 2015) with International Contemporary Ensemble: Claire Chase (flute, bass flute), Nick Masterson (oboe, bells), Joshua Rubin (clarinet, bass clarinet, bells), Rebekah Heller (bassoon, bells), Nathan Davis (hammered dulcimer), Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins (conductor). NOTE: Composed 2012–13, co-commissioned by Seattle Symphony⠀
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SET 2: More mastery [23:44]
1. [27:11] Dai Fujikura interviewed by Michael Schell
2. [37:09] Jan Bang, Dai Fujikura: Implanted Memories. From The Bow Maker (Punkt Edition, 2022) with Jan Bang (samples, programming, Dictaphone), Dai Fujikura (orchestra samples), Matthew Barley (cello samples), Rune Arnesen (drum samples)
3. [40:28] Ursula Mamlok: Three Bagatelles. From Musickè: The Art of Muses, harpsichord music by contemporary female Composers (Brilliant Classics, 2022) with Luca Quintavalle. NOTE: Composed 1987, first recording of the harpsichord version
4. [43:38] The Master Musicians of Jajouka: The Bird Prays for Allah. From Dancing Under the Moon (Glitterbeat, 2022) with Bachir Attar (vocals, ghaita, guinbri, lira), Mustapha Attar (vocals, lira, ghaita, drums), Abdellah Bokhzar (vocals, drums), Mohamed Attar (Berdous) (vocals, drums), Abdeslam Moudene (vocals,drums, ghaita), Ahmed Bakhat (vocals, violin, drums), Ahmed el Balloutti (vocals, drums), Jacopo Andreini (recording engineer)
5. [55:07] Outro with Ornette Coleman, Master Musicians of Joujouka: Midnight Sunrise
6. [1:00:28] John Zorn: Bagatelle #77. From John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 11 (Tzadik, 2022) with Jim Black Quartet: Jonathan Goldberger, Keisuke Matsuno (guitars), Simon Jermyn (bass), Jim Black (drums), Michal Wasyl, Piotr Zegzula (recording engineers)⠀
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SET 3: Difficult music for ideal listeners [1:06:36]
1. [1:08:41] Elliott Carter: String Quartet No. 3. From String Quartets Nos. 2, 3, 4 (Naxos, 2009) with Pacifica Quartet: Simin Ganatra, Sibbi Bernhardsson (violins), Masumi Rostad (viola), Brandon Vamos (cello), William Maylone (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1971, premiered January 23, 1973 by the Juilliard String Quartet at Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City. See https://tinyurl.com/CarterSchell for more about Elliott Carter⠀
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SET 4: Radical world music [1:30:28]
1. [1:32:31] João Lencastre: Four. From Safe in your own world (Phonogram Unit, 2022) with Pedro Branco (guitar), Leo Genovese (piano), Drew Gress (double bass), João Lencastre (drums), André Tavares (recording engineer)
2. [1:37:42] Barre Phillips, György Kurtág Jr.: The Under Zone. From Face à Face (ECM, 2022) with Barre Phillips (double bass), György Kurtág jr. (live electronics), Gérard de Haro, Manfred Eicher (recording engineers)
3. [1:39:33] Amir Mahyar Tafreshipour: The Doll behind the Curtain - Act I, Scene 3. From The Doll behind the Curtain (BIS, 2023) with Mehrdad: Jonathan von Schwanenflügel (tenor), Tombeau: Thomas Storm (baritone), Giselle: Maria Dreisig (soprano), Athelas Sinfonietta, Eirik Haukaas Ødegaard (conductor), Torsten Jessen (recording engineer)
4. [1:48:39] Christoph Herndler: a rose is a rose is …. From Horizon (Cantate, 2023) with Wolfgang Kogert (organ), Ingo Schmidt-Lucas (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2010/2018
5. 1:54:49] Outro with Alvin Lucier: Sizzles
Photo credits: Sana Nagano by Luke Marantz, Ursula Mamlok by Simon Pauly, Dai Fujikura by Seiji Okumiya, Ornette Coleman by Michael Hoefner, João Lencastre by Teresa Q, Amir Mahyar Tafreshipour by Honey Darlaine, Christoph Herndler: A Rose Is a Rose Is …, Alvin Lucier by Kris Serafin, György Kurtág Jr. and Barre Phillips via France Musique, Master Musicians of Jajouka via Bachir Attar.