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KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Works by Ian Underwood and Douglas Leedy (May 1965)

Analog Audio

Event Type
Music
Origin
KPFA
Identifier
C.1965.05.XX
Program Length
25 min
Dates
1966-03-15 | broadcast
| 402 | created
Description
Two works by Ian Underwood and Douglas Leedy, presented at a May 1965 concert on the campus of the University of California in Berkeley.

The “Brass Quintet” was composed by Ian Underwood in April and May of 1965 for the composition seminar at U. C. Berkeley. There is no score, only a set of parts for the ensemble, which consists of two trumpets, two trombones, and French horn. On this recording the second trombone is played on a Wagner tuba. Each player’s part consists of six or seven pages, one or two minutes in length, which can be arranged in any order the player finds satisfactory. Thus, the piece has many possible version. The performance heard here was by a student ensemble.

“Decay” is a composition by Douglas Leedy and Ian Underwood which utilizes a stereo tape recording of improvisations, strange but fascinating in their character, by an amateur pianists who shall remain anonymous. To this recording is added live improvisations by two pianists playing two pianos. On this recording, made at a concert given at the University in May 1965, the piece, which lasts about 16 minutes, begins with the recorded music. After several minuets Mr. Leedy and Mr. Underwood join in the performance. Several minutes later members of the audience, who were invited before the piece began to participate at the fee of five cents per minute, begin to replace the original performers at one or the other of the pianos. The results are interesting, especially considering the audience consisted largely of graduate music students.
Genres
New music
Chamber music
Musical Selections
Brass Quintet (1965) (8:08) / Ian Underwood -- Decay, for two pianos and tape (1965) (15:32) / Douglas Leedy and Ian Underwood
Performers
Ian Underwood, piano (Decay)
Douglas Leedy, piano (Decay)
Subjects
New music
Chamber music
Aleatory music
Brass quintets
Piano music (Pianos (2))
Piano and electronic music
Improvisation (Music)
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Related place
Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)
Related Entities
Underwood, Ian, 1939-
Leedy, Douglas