KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Ode To Gravity: Music by Fredric Rzewski and Garrett List, 1 of 2

Analog Audio

Event Type

Music

Origin

KPFA

Identifier

OTG.1974.07.03.A

Program Series

Ode To Gravity

Program Length

89 min

Part

1 of 2

Dates

1974-07-03 | broadcast
| 1974-07-03 | created

Description

In a program, first broadcast on July 3, 1974, host Charles Amirkhanian introduces music by American composers, Frederic Rzewski and Garrett List, both of whom have set political texts against vibrant electro-acoustic instrumental backdrops featuring strongly rhythmic repetition. The program begins with “Coming Together,” a 1972 composition by Rzewski that takes as its text words by Sam Melville, a prisoner who was killed during the riots at Attica Correctional Facility in New York State. Rzewski, a founding member of the trailblazing improvisational electro-acoustic ensemble, Musica Elettronica Viva, is as well known for his leftist politics as he is for his brilliant piano playing and his remarkable compositions. Other works by Rzewski heard in this program include “Les Moutons de Panurge,” an aleatoric piece scored for any number of instruments of any type, and performed here by four members of the Blackearth Percussion Group; as well as “Attica,” which takes as its text a quote by Richard X. Clark, made when he was released from the infamous prison. Also included in this program is a long piece by trumpeter and composer, Garrett List, entitled “Your Own Self” which takes as it text words by the famous Abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.

Genres

20th century classical
New music

Musical Selections

Attica, for speaker and instrumental ensemble [excerpt, text by Richard X. Clark] (1972) (0:30) / Frederic Rzewski -- Coming Together, for speaker and instrumental ensemble [text by Sam Melville] (1972) (19:13) / Frederic Rzewski -- Les Moutons de Panurge, percussion ensemble (1969) (16:14) / Frederic Rzewski

Performers

Frederic Rzewski, pianos (Attica ; Coming)
Steve ben Israel, speaker (Attica ; Coming)
Karl Berger, vibraphone (Coming)
Alvin Curran, synthesizers (Coming)
Jon Gibson, alto saxophone (Coming)
Joan Kalisch, viola (Coming)
Garrett List, trombone (Coming)
Richard Youngstein, bass (Coming)
Blackearth Percussion Group: (Moutons)
Garry Kvistad, almglocken (Moutons)
Richard Kvistad, nabimba (Moutons)
Christopher Braun, vibraphone & glockenspiel (Moutons)
Anne Otte, xylophone (Moutons)

Subjects

20th century classical
New music
Monologues with music (Instrumental ensemble)
Percussion ensembles
Aleatory music

Related places

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

Related Entities

Blackearth Percussion Group
Amirkhanian, Charles
Rzewski, Frederic
Clark, Richard X.
Melville, Samuel, 1935-1971
Berger, Karl H.
Curran, Alvin S., 1938-
Gibson, Jon
Kalisch, Joan
List, Garrett
Youngstein, Richard
Ben Israel, Steve
Kvistad, Garry
Kvistad, Richard, 1943-
Braun, Christopher
Otte, Anne