KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Words: Program No. 17: Charles Amirkhanian

Analog Audio

Event Type

Spoken Word

Origin

KPFA

Identifier

W.1969.12.29.c4

Program Series

Words

Program Length

59 min

Dates

1969-12-29 | broadcast
| 402 | created

Description

One in a series of programs produced by Clark Coolidge that feature the works of late 20th century poets, sound poets, and authors. This recording features an early, hour long, text-sound composition by Charles Amirkhanian, one of the premiere artists in the field of sound poetry. Amirkhanian utilizes all the tools available at the time in creating this hypnotic interplay between sound and meaning. By deconstructing language into its most basic elements and then rearranging and layering them, Amirkhanian manages to create something totally new yet still familiar, and not to be missed. While other artists have since used digital samplers and computers to create similar works, the fact that this piece was created largely through the splicing of quarter inch tape makes it all the more impressive.

Genres

Sound poetry
Poetry

Musical Selections

Words (1969) / Charles Amirkhanian

Performers

Charles Amirkhanian, voice

Subjects

Poetry
Sound poetry
Text-sound compositions

Acknowledgment

Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by Save America’s Treasures, a program of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Related places

Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)
Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)

Related Entities

Amirkhanian, Charles
Coolidge, Clark, 1939-