Today we have the first of a few videos from a concert Elodie Lauten performed in 1985 at Music Gallery in Toronto, half of the program on piano and half performing selections from her then-recently-completed record The Death of Don Juan, which we reissued on CD last summer. Since she couldn’t very well transport the Fairlight CMI from NYU to Toronto (and it seems Peter Zummo and Arthur Russell were busy that week doing their own history making) Lauten performs solo to her own prerecorded music. The original VHS video of this performance is, in effect, completely black. The room is quite dark, and the lighting too subtle for the VHS to register well. We’ve edited the picture significantly to make the scene visible again. The production is minimal, yet the setting is conceptually elegant for a work that has its sympathies in the psyche of an artist alone in his studio who is, through the allure of his technology, hexed by his exploits. John Massey’s beautiful, shadow-laden cover image of an empty theater washes over Lauten with her recordings, and, in true post-modern style, she is alone, both the only character and more characters than we can count.
So despite the somewhat spotty quality of the video, it is an improvement over the 3 minutes of darkness waiting for Lauten’s blue-lit visage to appear during her close-up, which is previously the only visible segment of the video [ed. note: though I did find it to have some charm of its own ].
Also Elodie Lauten performed her piece S.O.S.W.T.C. on 9/11 this year at the New Museum to commemorate the tragedy during the Howl Festival. Two videos of that performance have surfaced on YouTube. Here and here.
And last but certainly not least is the fact that this week is the week of the November 12th concert at Friends Meetinghouse on 15th street in Manhattan with “Blue” Gene Tyranny and Lubomyr Melnyk. Please see the two posts below for more info or visit unseenworlds.net/NOV12.html
To make an advance reservation for the Blue Gene Tyranny and Lubomyr Melnyk concert on November 12, 2009 in NYC, please enter number of guests and a name for your party. Email confirmation will follow.
On Thursday evening, November 12th, 2009, Unseen Worlds presents a night of piano music at 15th Street Friends Meetinghouse in Manhattan, only 3 blocks walking distance from 14th Street Union Square.
Composers “Blue” Gene Tyranny and Lubomyr Melnyk will each perform full sets of their own piano works.
“Blue” Gene Tyranny’s piano work, well-known in the Downtown New York scene since the 1970s and proven beautifully in the Lovely Music releases The Intermediary and Take Your Time, has only become more and more well loved and revered with each passing year. His appearance at this concert is very special and greatly appreciated.
Lubomyr Melnyk’s reputation has been slowly and quietly building. Over the last 30 years Melnyk has crafted a massive catalog of artistically demanding and aesthetically beautiful works, outpacing a means of documenting and publicizing them. Recently, with public admiration from popular musical figures like James Blackshaw and Jim O’Rourke, Melnyk’s reputation and fan base is larger than ever. This event is only his second New York appearance ever and his first in 20 years since he first performed at the Ukrainian Institute in 1989. Please join us in welcoming his music back into the States.
It’s with great honor and excitement that we present these two artists in a truly rare meeting. We look forward to seeing all who attend. Special thanks to the Arts Committee at the Meetinghouse for making this event possible.
Pick up a copy of this month’s Wire to preview the track “Cat Counterpoint” from the upcoming Elodie Lauten Piano Works 1983-19912CD set. The track is featured on the Wire Tapper 22 disc that comes packaged with the issue.
The Society for Music and Minimalism is preparing to host their second international conference on minimalism September 2-6, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. Part of their impressive lineup of performance and lecture includes a performance of Elodie Lauten’s “Adamantine Sonata” by Sarah Cahill during her Friday program. The original recording of the work was included on her 1983 LP, Piano Works, soon to be reissued on an Unseen Worlds 2CD of Lauten piano works.
Of unique interest also will be the reemergence of piano works by Harold Budd (of ambient Eno fame) and Dennis Johnson (of lengthy La Monte Young fame). More details on all this can be found at the official website and within some of Kyle Gann’s working blog posts on Arts Journal.
Hip-O Select has reissued all four Emitt Rhodes albums circa 1969-1973 in a deluxe, limited-edition 2CD set. Long out of print in the U.S. and largely unknown, being tipped by the likes of director Wes Anderson and others has likely helped these classic recordings of melodic pop music make a reappearance. They are a welcome sight in a new, completely thorough package.
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