KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Words: Program No. 11: Clark Coolidge

Analog Audio


Event Type
Spoken Word
Origin
KPFA
Identifier
W.1969.11.10.c2
Program Series
Words
Program Length
63 min
Dates
1969-11-10 | 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. In this recording, first broadcast on November 10, 1969, Coolidge presents a selection of his own tape-word compositions. These range from very simple works in which he repeats a number of words in seemingly random patterns, to more complex works utilizing multiple readers or multi-tracking. The simpler works feature just a few different words that often share a similar theme, such as short words beginning with “th” or ending with “ing.” The more complex pieces are reminiscent of traditional poetry that has somehow been cut up and rearranged so as to highlight the sound of the words rather than their accepted meanings. Regardless of their actual construction, these tape-word pieces have a rather hypnotic effect when listened to for a full hour, and can serve as a meditation on the way in which language organizes sounds so as to impart meaning, or not.
Genres
Sound poetry
Poetry
Musical Selections
[a series of unidentified tape-word works in which certain words are repeated in seemingly random patterns with some utilizing multiple speakers and multi-tracking]
Subjects
Text-sound compositions
Sound poetry
Poetry
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by the GRAMMY Foundation.
Related place
Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)
Related Entities
Coolidge, Clark, 1939-