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October 2, 2007
I’ve just discovered that the trente oiseaux label has been discontinued. trente oiseaux released minimalist music – although some might object to that definition of the works and prefer the term sound constructions. Many of the cd’s were barely audible through normal speakers and the listener was required to purchase a good set of headphones, find a quiet place and focus intently on what they heard and the space that was created in between. Each release was a discovery in intensity and perfection, with a focus on texture and space.
B.Günter / Heribert Friedl - Ataraxia, CD Cover, 2005 (image taken from here).
Naturally, this type of music only appeals to a small number of people, and bernhard günter, the sound artist who ran the label, was forced to discontinue TO because sales weren’t covering expenses. It’s disappointing because I found the experience of listening to this music extremely rewarding and not unlike the appreciation of minimalist paintings. And too, I feel somewhat responsible, because I stopped buying TO releases about 6 years ago, unable to find the focus required to enjoy and appreciate these unusual works.
I shared my appreciation of TO with a small number of people in Melbourne. I continue to find it fascinating that, although we often disagreed, we frequently shared the same opinion on which releases were of better quality than others. There is so little that is tangible in minimalist art, and yet often an appreciation of a work is shared within the community of those who appreciate the genre.
Kazemir Malevich, Black Square Red Square, 1915 (image taken from here).
I can certainly understand why people do not respond to works such as these, but I am mystified as to what it is I find so compelling.
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KeZ,
I'm less familar with minimalism in music than I am in the visual arts. I came to this music via Philip Glass and Steve Reich from the visual arts---Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Ellsworth Kelly, and Frank Stella.
As I understand it, the main concept behind early minimalist composition--- say Steve Reich's 1967 Piano Phase ---is the use of a small (or "minimal") amount of musical material that leads to soundscapes. The big narrative of a Beethoven that imposes itself on you has been displaced.
What I know is that composers take musical patterns and repeat them over and over and over and over.They vary these patterns over long stretches of time, often so that the listener cannot readily perceive the changes. For that reason, minimalist music is often said to have a trance-like or hypnotic effect.
Composers like Philip Glass use patterns of notes to create a mood. The key is to listen for the overall effect, not the actual notes.
My sense is that minimalist music is leaving the uptown academic concert halls for the popular or downtown dance clubs and raves where ambient electronica, looped beats, sampling etc.