In this podcast we unpack Columbia Records’ long-awaited digital reissue of Carlos Chávez’s complete recordings for that label. Of particular interest is his astonishing ballet score Pirámide, which features astringent atonal polyphony in the orchestra and ritualized heightened speech in the chorus, all in service to pre-Columbian mythology. We contrast it with Chávez’s more familiar neoclassical music, contemplating the legacy of this once dominant, but now neglected figure in Mexican music.
Plus, Alex Mincek points at Wet Ink Ensemble, Caroline Shaw revisits The Tempest with Roomful of Teeth, Whettman Chelmets contemplates the climate, The Late Unpleasantness makes noise, and four different ensembles—Sam Eastmond’s big band, Peter Evans’ solo trumpet, and the Ben Goldberg and Speed-Irabagon quartets—tackle John Zorn’s latest box set of Bagatelles (with Zorn himself joining in on alto sax). Some historical items from Miles Davis and Peter Maxwell Davies round out the playlist.
Global chart history
Top position held by this upload
Comments
Flotation Device 2023-07-23: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: John Zorn's Bagatelles [0:00]
1. [1:44] John Zorn: Bagatelle #154. From John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 13 (Tzadik, 2023) with John Zorn (alto sax), Speed-Irabagon Quartet: Chris Speed, Jon Irabagon (tenor saxes), Christian McBride (bass), Ches Smith (drums), Marc Urselli (recording engineer)
2. [4:59] John Zorn: Bagatelle #261. From John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 13 (credits as above)
3. [8:21] John Zorn: Bagatelle #32. From John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 15 (Tzadik, 2023) with Ben Goldberg 4: Ben Goldberg (clarinet), Craig Taborn (piano), Jorge Roeder, Thomas Morgan (basses), Ryan Streber (recording engineer)
4. [11:16] John Zorn: Bagatelle #24. From John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 14 (Tzadik, 2023) with Peter Evans (trumpet, piccolo trumpet), Marc Urselli (recording engineer)
5. [14:46] John Zorn: Bagatelle #101. From John Zorn's Bagatelles Vol. 16 (Tzadik, 2023) with Chris Williams (alto sax), Asha Parkinson, Emma Rawicz (tenor saxes), Mick Foster (baritone sax), Noel Langley, Charlotte Keeffe (trumpet, flugelhorn), Joel Knee (trombone), Tom Briers (tuba), Moss Freed (guitar), Olly Chalk (piano), Fergus Quill (bass), Alasdair Pennington (drums), Sam Eastmond (conductor), Marc Urselli (recording engineer)⠀
⠀
SET 2: Wet fires [24:10]
1. [27:14] Alex Mincek: point, point, point, point. From Missing Scenes (Carrier, 2023) with Wet Ink Large Ensemble: Erin Lesser (flutes), Karisa Antonio (oboe), Rane Moore (clarinet), Emmalie Tello (bass clarinet), Nanci Belmont (bassoon), Geoff Deibel (saxophones), Laura Weiner (horn), Gareth Flowers (trumpet), Michael Clayville (trombone), Ian Antonio, Russell Greenberg (percussion), Julia den Boer (piano), Josh Modney, Pala Garcia (violins), Carrie Frey (viola), Mariel Roberts (cello), Greg Chudzik (bass), Eric Wubbels (conductor), Sam Pluta, Levi Lu (recording engineers)
2. [47:39] The Late Unpleasantness: Fell in the Well. From Fell in the Well (Bandcamp, 2022) with Donna Brown, Edward Moore
3. [49:51] Peter Maxwell Davies: Purcell: Fantasia upon One Note. From Renaissance and Baroque Realisations (Unicorn/Decca, 1981) with The Fires of London, Peter Maxwell Davies (conductor)
4. [53:58] Outro with Peter Maxwell Davies: Si Quis Diligit Me
5. [59:25] Miles Davis: Big Fun/Holly-wuud (Take 3). From The Complete On The Corner Sessions (Columbia/Sony, 2007) with Miles Davis (trumpet), Dave Liebman (soprano saxophone, flute), Pete Cosey, Reggie Lucas (guitars), Michael Henderson (electric bass), Al Foster (drums), James Mtume Forman (congos, percussion). NOTE: Recorded July 26, 1973 at Columbia Studios, New York. Extracted into the 7" 45rpm Big Fun/Holly-wuud (Columbia, 1973)⠀
⠀
SET 3: Island climates [1:06:51]
1. [1:08:23] Whettman Chelmets: Dsc. From Koppen (Strategic Tape Reserve, 2023) with Whettman Chelmets (modular synth, field recordings, FM blasts, pencils, paper, all the things)
2. [1:10:15] Whettman Chelmets: CFb. From Koppen (credits as above)
3. [1:15:22] Caroline Shaw: The Isle. From Rough Magic (New Amsterdam, 2023) with Roomful of Teeth: Estelí Gomez, Martha Cluver, Caroline Shaw, Eliza Bagg, Virginia Kelsey, Eric Dudley, Thann Scoggin, Dashon Burton, Cameron Beauchamp (voices), Brad Wells, Cameron Beauchamp (artistic directors), Randall L. Squires (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2016. First recording⠀
⠀
SET 4: Carlos Chávez the radical [1:29:54]
1. [1:34:03] Carlos Chávez: Pirámide III - The Elements: Wind, Water, Earth, Fire. From The Four Suns/Selections from Pirámide (Columbia, 1974, reissued 2023 in The Complete Columbia Album Edition) with Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy (director), London Symphony Orchestra, Carlos Chávez (conductor), Mike Ross-Trevor, Robert Gooch, Roy Emerson (recording engineers). NOTE: Composed 1968, recorded 1973
2. [1:41:17] Carlos Chávez: Pirámide IV - General Dance. From The Four Suns/Selections from Pirámide (as above)
3. [1:55:10] Outro with Carlos Chávez: Sinfonía india
Photo credits: Peter Maxwell Davies via University of Salford, Miles Davis: Holly-Wuud, Carlos Chávez via Wise Music Classical, Dave Liebman/Miles Davis/Michael Henderson via Dave Liebman, Whettman Chelmets via the artist, The Late Unpleasantness via Donna Brown, John Zorn by Scott Irvine, Peter Evans via the artist, Caroline Shaw by Dayna Szyndrowski, Alex Mincek via the artist.