Composed, improvised and fixed-media music is all fair game in Flotation Device's inclusive approach to Western art music. And all three are present here, including premiere recordings of works by Michael Gordon, the late Kaija Saariaho, Christopher Butterfield and Ivan Fedele. Our 50 years ago in the avant-garde feature takes us back to the 1973 BBC Proms, and the premiere of Nicola LeFanu's colorful orchestral work The Hidden Landscape, recently rescued from the vaults by NMC. The London Experimental Ensemble contemplates Celtic ballads and forbidden love, while the Kronos Quartet revisits campaign songs and the Sound-In collective demonstrates the art of remote improvisation. New albums from Matt Mitchell, James Ilgenfritz, John Butcher, Pat Thomas, Benjamín Vergara, Matías Riquelme, Loo(p)cy and the Aruán Ortiz Trio round out the playlist.
Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell.
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It's amazing how young and no young musicians they dare and try new musical codes...in the process they pass from the industry establishing a direct link with the listener...It is also remarkable the ethics of artistic delivery that seeks nothing other than to transmit sensations, feelings and visions of a new world...I specially enjoy the Benjamin Vergara and Matias Riquelme work...highly recommended...
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Flotation Device 2023-08-06: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Around the world [0:00]
1. [0:55] Aruán Ortiz Trio: Memorias del monte. From Serranías, Sketchbook for Piano Trio (Intakt, 2023) with Aruán Ortiz (piano), Brad Jones (bass), John Betsch (drums), Michael Brändli (recording engineer)
2. [6:04] Benjamín Vergara, Matías Riquelme: Crocancias. From Asimetrías (Tayül, 2023) with Benjamín Vergara (trumpet), Matías Riquelme (cello)
3. [10:05] Michael Gordon: Campaign Songs. From Campaign Songs (Cantaloupe, 2023) with Kronos Quartet: David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola), Sunny Yang (cello). NOTE: Composed and remotely recorded in 2020
4. [18:00] John Butcher, Pat Thomas, Dominic Lash, Steve Noble: Fathom part 2 (excerpt). From Fathom (577, 2023) with John Butcher (tenor and soprano saxophone), Pat Thomas (piano), Dominic Lash (double bass), Steve Noble (drums), Shaun Crook (recording engineer)⠀
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SET 2: Kaija Saariaho (1952–2023) [24:54]
1. [28:14] James Ilgenfritz: #omnibus. From #entrainments (Infrequent Seams, 2023) with Angelika Niescier (alto saxophone), Nathan Bontrager (cello), James Ilgenfritz (contrabass), Gerry Hemingway (drums), Christian Heck (recording engineer)
2. [35:10] Loo(p)cy: Earth Calling. From 9th Annual Report Mid Year Edition (Unexplained Sounds, 2023) with Lucia Caiazza AKA Loo(p)cy
3. [38:40] Matt Mitchell: oneiric argot. From Oblong Aplomb (Out of Your Head, 2023) with Matt Mitchell (piano), Kate Gentile (drums, percussion), Daniel Goodwin (recording engineer)
4. [44:07] Ivan Fedele: Suite francese - 3. Toccata. From Italian Contemporary Music for Harpsichord (Brilliant Classics, 2021) with Luca Quintavalle (harpsichord), Anton Langer (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2003, premiere recording
5. [48:13] Kaija Saariaho: Écho! - 3. Libero, intenso. From Reconnaissance (BIS, 2023) with Helsinki Chamber Choir: Linnéa Sundfær Casserly, Julia Heéger (sopranos), Eleriin Müüripeal (alto), David Hackston (counter-tenor), Mats Lillhannus, Martti Anttila (tenors), Sampo Haapaniemi, Jussi Linnanmäki (basses), Timo Kurkikangas (live electronics), Nils Schweckendiek (conductor), Hans Kipfer (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2007, premiere recording
6. [52:47] Outro with Kaija Saariaho: Écho! - 2. Calmo, espressivo
7. [58:55] Sound-In: Pushy People. From The Many Voices In Our Heads (NiwoSound, 2023) with Benjamin Smith, Kavin Allenson (musicians), Steve Layton (mixing)⠀
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SET 3: Annie and Willie [1:03:53]
1. [1:05:23] Christopher Butterfield: parc, Port Bou, Souvenir, Frame (excerpts). From Souvenir (Redshift, 2023) with Rick Sacks (vibraphone, pieces of wood), Aventa Ensemble, Bill Linwood (conductor), Kirk McNally (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1995–2013, premiere recordings
2. [1:14:35] London Experimental Ensemble: The Holy Nunnery. From Child Ballads: The Final Six (Don Giovanni, 2023) with Gina Fergione (mezzo-soprano), London Experimental Ensemble: Antonio Acunzo (piano, electronics), John Eyles (alto saxophone), Tony Hardie–Bick (electronics, piano), Caroline Kraabel (saxophones), Edward Lucas (trombone), Keisuke Matsui (electric guitar, cello), NO Moore (guitarism), Jordan Muscatello (double bass), Ed Pettersen (lap steel guitar, dobro), Mirei Yazawa (trumpet), Jaime McEvoy (recording engineer)⠀
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SET 4: 50 years ago in the avant-garde [1:27:15]
1. [1:30:30] Nicola LeFanu: The Hidden Landscape. From The Crimson Bird (NMC, 2020) with BBC Symphony Orchestra, Norman Del Mar (conductor). NOTE: Composed 1973. Premiered (and recorded here) August 7, 1973 at the BBC Proms
2. [1:53:02] Outro with Michael Tippett: The Rose Lake
Intro and SET 1: Around the world [0:00]
Photo credits: Kaija Saariaho via Helsinki University, Kronos Quartet (Sunny Yang, Hank Dutt, David Harrington, John Sherba) by Jay Blakesberg, Ivan Fedele by Ugo Dalla Porta, Aruán Ortiz with Brad Jones and John Betsch by Palma Fiacco, Loo(p)cy via Lucia Caiazza, Gina Fergione self-portrait, Dominic Lash and Pat Thomas by Katharine Lash, Michael Gordon by Peter Serling, Christopher Butterfield via University of Victoria, Nicola LeFanu via the artist, Matt Mitchell and Kate Gentile via the artists, #entrainments (Nathan Bontrager, Angelika Niescier, James Ilgenfritz, Gerry Hemingway) by James Ilgenfritz.