KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ New Music FM: New Music from America: Program No. 4, 1 of 2
Analog Audio
Event Type
MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
AM.1983.XX.XX.2.AProgram Length
143 minPart
1 of 2Dates
| broadcast| 402 | created
Description
In a program recorded in 1983 Kerry Frumkin of WFMT introduces a selection of new and avant-garde compositions and preformanceds by American based composers, partly as a teaser for the upcoming New Music America Festival to be held in Washington DC later that year. The program begins with Ed Herrmann discussing his work for electronic work “Eye Dance” before playing a recording of it. This is followed with an excerpt from Philip Glass’s seminal film score Koyaanisqatsi, which introduced the composer’s unique minimalist music to the broad filmgoing public. Israeli born Shulamit Ran then introduces her piano trio “Excursions.” We then here the computer music piece, “Constructions with Plains and Curves,” by Shawn Decker, followed by “Liberation Music” a largely improvised performance by Frank Abbinanti and dedicated to avant-garde composer and political activist Cornelius Cardew.The second portion of the program begins with “Drums” by computer music pioneer Laurie Spiegel. This is followed by two lenghty improvised performances. The first, a series of piano improvisations was recorded at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago on May 15, 1979, and features pianist and composer Muhal Ricahrd Abrams. This pristine free jazz piano performance is followed by a more gritty avant-garde improvisation by guitarist Davey Williams and violinist/violist LaDonna Smith in which a variety of small objects are used to enlist sounds from a variety of stringed instruments.
Genres
New musicElectro-Acoustic / Electronic
Musical Selections
Eye Dance, for electronics (1982) (8:02) / Ed Herrmann -- Koyaanisqatsi, for instrumental ensemble and chorus [from the film soundtrack for “Koyaanisqatsi”] (1982) (3:29) / Philip Glass -- Excursions, for piano trio (1980) (19:32) / Shulamit Ran -- Constructions with Plaines and Curves, for computer and electronic (1983) (7:28) / Shawn Decker -- Liberation Music, for piano [part 1] (1983) (6:04) / Frank AbbinantiPerformers
Western Wind Vocal Ensemble, vocals (Koyaanisqatsi)Michael Riesman, conductor (Koyaanisqatsi)
Gregory Fulkerson, violin (Excursions)
André Emelianoff, cello (Excursions)
Alan Feinberg, piano (Excursions)
Frank Abbinanti, piano (Liberation)
Subjects
New musicElectronic music
Motion picture music
Choruses, Secular (Men's voices) with instrumental ensemble
Piano trios
Computer music
Piano music
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts.Related place
Chicago (Ill.) (was broadcast at)Related Entities
Western Wind (Vocal group)Frumkin, Kerry
Herrmann, Ed
Glass, Philip
Ran, Shulamit, 1949-
Decker, Shawn
Abbinanti, Frank
Riesman, Michael
Fulkerson, Gregory
Emelianoff, André
Feinberg, Alan