Flotation Device examines the premiere recordings of Kaija Saariaho's late orchestral work Vista (inspired by California's Interstate 5 but still beautiful), Heiner Goebbels' setting of Thoreau's Walden (in its original version featuring the unique instruments and speaking voice of Bob Rutman), Kaikhosru Sorabji's seven-hour Opus Archimagicum (with pianist Tellef Johnson) and Heinz Winbeck's Blick in den Strom (which suggests how Bartók might have sounded if he'd been a minimalist). We also hear Min Xiao-Fen and Julian Kytasty explore the unorthodox combination of Chinese pipa and Ukrainian bandura, while Michael Hersch writes for the likewise unusual grouping of soprano, violin and bassoon. Our "50 years ago in the avant-garde" feature revisits a Michael Gregory Jackson classic from New York's loft jazz era, plus an unusually tidy Morton Feldman gem. Pianist Irène Schweizer gets an archival solo release, while new dimensions in fusion by Melvin Gibbs and Untethered round out the show.
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Photo credits: Michael Gregory Jackson by D. Greenberger, Heiner Goebbels with Ensemble Modern by Wonge Bergmann, Min Xiao-Fen and Julian Kytasty by Pavlo Terekhov, Kaija Saariaho by Andrew Campbell, Morton Feldman by Steven Slomana, Irène Schweizer by Francesca Pfeffer, Kaikhosru Sorabji by Joan Muspratt, Heinz Winbeck by Gerhilde Winbeck, Melvin Gibbs by Michael Weintrob, Michael Hersch by Richard Anderson, Henry David Thoreau by Benjamin D. Maxham, Untethered (Timothy Ragsdale, Paul Giess, Grant Calvin Weston) by Willem Cousineau.
Flotation Device 2026-08-16: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell - PART ONE
1. [0:00] Intro and SET 1: Gaze into the current
2. [1:43] Untethered: The Wise Person Breathes From Their Heels. From Phronesis (Bandcamp, 2026) with Untethered: Paul Giess (trumpet, effects), Timothy Ragsdale (bass), Grant Calvin Weston (drums), Styxx Latté (recording engineer)
3. [6:26] Min Xiao-Fen, Julian Kytasty: Sonic Tonic (dedicated to Derek Bailey). From Boundless (Anderson Audio, 2026) with Min Xiao-Fen (pipa, sanxian, ruan, sound effects, voice), Julian Kytasty (bandura, voice), Jim Anderson, Ulrike Schwarz (recording engineers, The Bridge Studio)
4. [12:40] Heinz Winbeck: Blick in den Strom. From Winbeck – Lütge – Schneid: Chamber Music (NEOS, 2026) with Mariko Umae, Aleksandra Manic (violins), Christian Döring (viola), Johannes Gutfleisch, Susanne Gutfleisch (cellos), Carsten Vollmer (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1981, premiere recording
SET 2: To America and back [31:23]
1. [35:17] Morton Feldman: Routine Investigations. From Morton Feldman (Montaigne, 1994) with Ensemble Recherche: Peter Veale (oboe), Klaus Schuhwerk (trumpet), Sven Thomas Kiebler (piano), Barbara Maurer (viola), Lucas Fels (cello), Daniel Mehltretter (double bass), Mark Hohn (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1976, premiered August 16, 1976 in Venice
2. [42:42] Michael Hersch: Sapped from me broken - III. From Across…in grief and detail (Kairos, 2026) with Ah Young Hong (soprano), Wolftone: William Overcash (violin), Ben Roidl-Ward (bassoon), Andrew Bohman (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2019, premiere recording
3. [47:26] Irène Schweizer: IAX - Been to America. From Prelude to a Kiss and More (Intakt, 2026) with Irène Schweizer (piano), Peter Pfister (recording engineer). NOTE: Recorded live February 1, 1986, at Volkshaus Zürich
4. [59:08] Outro with Irène Schweizer: Back Home
5. [1:02:28] Heiner Goebbels: Walden - 1. Where I Lived, and What I Lived For (Simplify, Simplify!), 2. The House. From Walden (ECM, 2026) with Bob Rutman (voice), Ensemble Modern Orchestra, Peter Eötvös (conductor), Udo Wüstendörfer (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed and recorded in 1998. First release of the full orchestral version
Flotation Device 2026-08-16: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell - PART TWO
SET 3: A Saariaho premiere [1:12:10]
1. [1:15:47] Melvin Gibbs: The Very First Flower. From Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2 (Hausu Mountain, 2025) with Casey Benjamin (flute, synth), deVon Gray (synth), Melvin Gibbs (bass, sound design), Francisco Mora Catlett (drums, percussion), Scotty Hard (recording engineer)
2. [1:18:44] Michael Gregory Jackson: Oliver Lake. From Clarity (50th anniversary remastered edition) (Moved-by-Sound, 2026) with Oliver Lake (soprano saxophone), Michael Gregory Jackson (electric guitar), Doug Pomeroy, Jonathan Freed (recording engineers). NOTE: Recorded August 11/14, 1976 at Downtown Sound, New York and Nineteen Studio, Hartford
3. [1:22:04] Kaija Saariaho: Vista - 2. Targets. From Saarikoski Songs, Vista, Three Preludes (Ondine, 2026) with BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor). NOTE: Composed 2019, premiere recording
SET 4: Sorabji meets B♮ [1:32:55]
1. [1:36:43] Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Opus Archimagicum (Piano Sonata No. 5) - 3. Punta d'organo. From Opus Archimagicum (Opus A, 2026) with Tellef Johnson (piano, recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1934–35. Premiered January 15, 2021 by Tellef Johnson at South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
2. [1:58:11] Outro with Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Opus Clavicembalisticum (Daan Vandewalle)