#4291: A New Sounds Primer, Part 1

For this New Sounds, listen to music from really recently, but also as far back as the 12^th Century, from New York, Mali, and Bulgaria. Flash back to the classic “New Sounds” theme, or Brian Eno’s song, “Julie With…” and its instrumental opening, which used to start each episode of the show. Then, hear music by Laurie Anderson - “O Superman” for her voice, keyboards & processing. The song was a surprise hit song on the U.K. pop charts in the early 1980’s. Also, listen to music by Philip Glass from The Photographer, a work based on the life and murder trial of 19th-century English photographer Eadweard Muybridge, using actual quotes from the record of the trial.

Then, hear Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko and French cellist Vincent Ségal, recorded on a Bamako rooftop, from the stunning record Musique de Nuit. Listen to music for solo flute, recorded in Echo Canyon, New Mexico, from James Newton – one of the early works that appeared on New Sounds.

The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices (Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares), a mid-80s recording, introduced the wider world to the plaintive, haunting sounds of Balkan singing. Hear that original recording, along with an arrangement of a shape note song for the early music a cappella group Anonymous 4. Listen also to the ecstatic melodies in an unadorned work by the 12^th century German composer, abbess, writer, and mystic Hildegard von Bingen, as sung by the group Gothic Voices. 

There are also ambient foggy swells by Norwegian guitarist and composer Terje Rypdal, and new music by British composer/pianist/violinist/producer Poppy Ackroyd. Poppy Ackroyd’s music is made from familiar instruments, like piano, harpsichord, and violin- all sampled, chopped, manipulated, and moved around sounds into hypnotic multi-layered melodic creations. That, and more. 

This is part one of a two-part series of music that was in heavy rotation back when New Sounds first began in the 1980's, as  well as much more recent works as a way to get an introduction to the range of some of the music you might hear on the show.  - Caryn Havlik

#4291: A New Sounds Primer, Part 1 (First aired 10/23/2019)

ARTIST: Brian Eno
WORK: Julie With… [1:30]
RECORDING: Before and After Science
SOURCE: EG ENO-4
INFO: Re-released by Astralwerks, and available on Amazon.com

ARTIST: Philip Glass
WORK: A Gentleman’s Honor (lyrics by David Byrne) [3:17]
RECORDING: The Photographer
SOURCE: Sony Classical 73684
INFO: Reissued in 2013, Music On Vinyl, MOVCL 005

ARTIST: Laurie Anderson
WORK: O Superman (for Massenet) [8:24]
RECORDING: Big Science
SOURCE: Nonesuch 130428
INFO: nonesuch.com

ARTIST: Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal
WORK: Passa Quatro (for Ivan Vilela) [4:52]
RECORDING: Musique de Nuit
SOURCE: Six Degrees Records
INFO: sixdegreesrecords.com

ARTIST: James Newton
WORK: Land of Enchantment  [5:31]
RECORDING: Echo Canyon
SOURCE:  Celestial Harmonies 13012
INFO: harmonies.com

ARTIST: Gothic Voices
WORK: Hildegard: O viridissima virga [3:09]
RECORDING: Hildegard of Bingen: A Feather on the Breath of God
SOURCE: Hyperion #66039
INFO: Available at Amazon.com

ARTIST: Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares
WORK: Kalimankou Denkou (the evening gathering) [5:11]
RECORDING: Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares
SOURCE: Nonesuch 79165 
INFO: nonesuch.com

ARTIST: Poppy Ackroyd
WORK: Paper [4:33]
RECORDING: Resolve
SOURCE: Denovali Records
INFO: poppy.bandcamp.com