The Relache Chronicles
THE RELACHE CHRONICLES is a podcast about musicians residing in what we call “the Margins of American Music.” In these 30-to-45-minute episodes, we’ll play recordings – primarily by The Relache Ensemble from Philadelphia - of complete musical works plus commentary by composers, performers, and others with insight to the music. Throughout the podcast, we’ll discuss the guest composers’ processes, how they utilized current and past technologies and how the acoustical properties of a given space informed the creation and performance of a musical work. Finally, we will discuss how the composers’ relationship with the musicians brought the music to life. Episodes feature music by John Cage, Robert Ashley, Joe Kasinskas, Pauline Oliveros, Guy Klucevsek, Eve Beglarian, Fred Ho, Phill Niblock, Romulus Franceschini, Bill Duckworth, Lois v Vierk, and an overview of the New Music America Festival 1987 - Philadelphia, and the expansive residency/performance project named Music in Motion. THE RELACHE CHRONICLES is produced, directed, and edited, by Arthur Stidfole with Joseph Franklin, Joe Kasinskas, and Arthur Sabatini. Throughout their careers, they have been performing musicians, composers, executive and artistic directors, university teachers, radio hosts and authors, dedicated to the music of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Relache Chronicles
Episode Twenty-Nine: Michael Nyman
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Episode Twenty-Nine: Michael Nyman
Michael Nyman is a composer of concert music, film scores and the author of a book that influenced countless composers and educators in the late twentieth century that embraced musical styles counter to the modernist music of European and American composers whose works dominated university faculties worldwide. Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond certainly influenced the producing team here at The Relache Chronicles. Michael’s music for films is likely best known for those directed by Peter Greenaway. His score for Jane Campion’s film, “The Piano” is possibly his best-known work. Michael’s music has been referenced as “…taking no prisoners…” It is hard-driving, episodic, repetitive, at times very loud, and always unique. So, of course, it attracted the Relache Ensemble who then commissioned him to write a piece that is titled “HRT.” Composed in 1995-96, “HRT” was a dominant work in The Relache Ensemble’s repertoire during those years, and it was recorded on the Monroe Street Music label in 1997, now out of print. It is that recording and a conversation about Michael we’ll feature on this episode.
The members of The Relache ensemble were Laurel Wyckoff, flutes and piccolo; Ken Ulansey, saxophone and clarinet; Lloyd Shorter, oboe and English horn; Jon Gaarder, bassoon; Kathleen Carroll, viola; Douglas Mapp, bass and electric bass.
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