Day 28 - “EASY” Review
Hey! 1 Video today, plus four re-linked PDF’s
Practice Buddy Discount:
Code: 30DAY
Downloads:
(Find the Day 8 Self-Talk Evaluation and fill that out)
Then, the four PDF’s from that unit are re-linked here:
Today’s Recommended Listening:
Morton Feldman (1926-1987)
“Voices and Cello”
(Cello + Two Female Voices)
Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick, cello
[Spotify] - 7 minutes
Bit of a departure today. I love the music of Feldman. Sometimes it’s consonant, sometimes it’s dissonant, but it’s always beautiful and pristine. Or maybe pristine isn’t the right word, because it can be murky, too. He’s an unusual figure in classical composition, and not just because he was super tall. He was in his mid-20’s when he met John Cage during the intermission of a NY Philharmonic concert. Completely randomly. Cage encouraged him to compose (which Feldman had never done) and he quickly became a part of that ecosystem of Frank O’Hara and Robert Rauschenberg and Jackson Pollock and that whole NY 50’s / 60’s art scene.
Feldman’s compositions are pointedly not in the classical vein. They don’t follow typical structures and they bare no resemblance to any previous works. He’s not really a minimalist per se, and while he has some pieces that are “indeterminate” (meaning that they have elements of chance and/or notes/timings are left up to the performer with a few directions to organize it as a piece), he kind of defies genres in my opinion. They veer towards the abstract, for sure, and sometimes are named by instrument [eg - Two Instruments, Voices and Cello, ] or with abstract titles [eg Durations I, Projection IV, Intersection III].
Voices and Cello can help get you into the vibe of Feldman, for sure. It’s at once music so slow that it’s background music but also music that requires your complete, undivided attention. If I may suggest, try sitting down and listening to Voices and Cello with no other distractions. Just sit in the piece. It’s such an unusual experience. I’d recommend doing the same with his much longer Rothko Chapel for Viola, Percussion and Choir.
His works are even more unusual to perform. For long durations, you’ll sit on stage, then play one note. You don’t want to play too fast, you don’t want to draw attention. It invites slowness. But you also don’t want to look, well, dumb as you slowly raise your left hand and slowly raise your right hand and contribute to the sonic texture. Very unusual. Love it.
After we played Two Instruments for Cello and Horn, my friend Nicolee Kuester (French horn, formerly in Residence at Carnegie Hall) said that she thought every evening concert should end with a piece by Feldman to transition the audience gently into the night. Such a beautiful image.
Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick has been the cello professor at CalArts for almost 40 years, and helped turn it into a pioneering school for avant-garde music and experimentation. She is an incredible cellist and the nicest person you will ever meet.
What to Explore Next:
Feldman - Rothko Chapel [one of the most beautiful pieces of all time]
Feldman - Patterns in a Chromatic Field [epic, incredibly difficult cello and piano piece]
Andrew McIntosh - Duo for Viola and Cello with any number of Violins [piece by CalArts professor Andrew McIntosh playing viola with Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick]
See you tomorrow!
—Eric