Terry Riley (b. 1935)

[7/4]

I've been listening to Terry almost all my life.

recommended, for a start:

A Rainbow in Curved Air
Shri Camel

Harp of New Albion - for microtonal piano tuned in just intonation.

Poppy Nogood & The Phantom Band All Night Flight - a stunning live performance of "Poppy Nogood and his Phantom Band"

Lazy Afternoon Among the Crocodiles & Diamond Fiddle Language - duets for synthesizer and double bass with Stefano Scodanibbio.

[Pessoa]

In C, Poppy and Rainbow, early memories of my first dabblings with contemporary composers...

[milk]

I'm listening to "The Harp of New Albion" today for the first time. This is pretty interesting music. I'm not sure I've heard anything quite like it before. The charm of it is that sometimes it just sounds like some college dorm dude puttering around and other times it is, as someone else said, approaching sublime.

[bwv 1080]

Funny I only recently learned the connection with the famous Who song inspired by Poppy Nogood

The original In C recording is my favorite, followed by the Rainbow in Curved Air album

Have not found any of his more recent works that interesting

[milk]

Funny I only recently learned the connection with the famous Who song inspired by Poppy Nogood

The original In C recording is my favorite, followed by the Rainbow in Curved Air album

Have not found any of his more recent works that interesting

I really like Albion a lot. I think the piece is interesting all the way though to the end. I can feel it growing on me. I don't know why but C doesn't excite me as much as I thought it would. Maybe I'll listen to it more. I can see the influence on Reich though. I like that stuff in doses. I just downloaded Curved Air. The samples sounded pretty darn cool!

[EigenUser]

Sorry to dissent, but I haven't heard any Riley I've liked. I discovered Reich and Riley through Ligeti because the second of his "Three Pieces for Two Pianos" (far from his best work, I think) is called "Self-portrait with Reich and Riley (and Chopin in the Background)". I immediately loved Reich, but for some reason Riley just annoys me to no end. I didn't even finish listening to the works that I heard. "In C" is one of my personal musical pet peeves. However, I respect it because I'm not sure that Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" would exist without it, and that is my favorite minimalist work.

[milk]

Sorry to dissent, but I haven't heard any Riley I've liked. I discovered Reich and Riley through Ligeti because the second of his "Three Pieces for Two Pianos" (far from his best work, I think) is called "Self-portrait with Reich and Riley (and Chopin in the Background)". I immediately loved Reich, but for some reason Riley just annoys me to no end. I didn't even finish listening to the works that I heard. "In C" is one of my personal musical pet peeves. However, I respect it because I'm not sure that Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" would exist without it, and that is my favorite minimalist work.

My first impression of C was that it sounded important as an influence on Reich but that it's better just to listen to Reich. Perhaps I'll appreciate it more another time. However, Harp of New Albion is all it's own idea and is maybe too idiosyncratic to influence much else. I could imagine some not caring for it. But I find it really curious and interesting. Maybe the hippy trippy feel of Riley can rub some the wrong way?   

[torut]

My first impression of C was that it sounded important as an influence on Reich but that it's better just to listen to Reich. Perhaps I'll appreciate it more another time. However, Harp of New Albion is all it's own idea and is maybe too idiosyncratic to influence much else. I could imagine some not caring for it. But I find it really curious and interesting. Maybe the hippy trippy feel of Riley can rub some the wrong way?   

I like The Harp of New Albion the best among Riley's albums I have (just about 8.) I like most of his albums, but In C may not be among my favorites. I felt it was a little obsessive, but I have not heard it for a long time.
An author mentioned The Harp of New Albion as the best solo piano ambient music, and the second was The Well-Tuned Piano by La Monte Young, which I am very interested in, but have not heard yet. I don't know what the relationship and influence are, or even whether they resemble, but both works are for a piano of just intonation, I think.

[milk]

I like The Harp of New Albion the best among Riley's albums I have (just about 8.) I like most of his albums, but In C may not be among my favorites. I felt it was a little obsessive, but I have not heard it for a long time.
An author mentioned The Harp of New Albion as the best solo piano ambient music, and the second was The Well-Tuned Piano by La Monte Young, which I am very interested in, but have not heard yet. I don't know what the relationship and influence are, or even whether they resemble, but both works are for a piano of just intonation, I think.

I was looking for the Young piece and couldn't find it to purchase. However, parts are on youtube and the whole thing is available as a free podcast on itunes! Dennis Johnson's piece "November" look interesting as well.

[torut]

I was looking for the Young piece and couldn't find it to purchase. However, parts are on youtube and the whole thing is available as a free podcast on itunes! Dennis Johnson's piece "November" look interesting as well.

I didn't know Dennis Johnson. I just started hearing November on youtube (complete, about 5 hours long), and already liked it. Thank you!

[milk]

I didn't know Dennis Johnson. I just started hearing November on youtube (complete, about 5 hours long), and already liked it. Thank you!

You're welcome. I also just discovered it. It will take me a bit of time to get through the 5 hours! But I'm also liking it.

[7/4]

I like The Harp of New Albion the best among Riley's albums I have (just about 8.) I like most of his albums, but In C may not be among my favorites. I felt it was a little obsessive, but I have not heard it for a long time.
An author mentioned The Harp of New Albion as the best solo piano ambient music, and the second was The Well-Tuned Piano by La Monte Young, which I am very interested in, but have not heard yet. I don't know what the relationship and influence are, or even whether they resemble, but both works are for a piano of just intonation, I think.

La Monte and Terry are old friends. Both of them were students of Pandit Pran Nath, the both pieces reflect their studies in Raga.

[torut]

La Monte and Terry are old friends. Both of them were students of Pandit Pran Nath, the both pieces reflect their studies in Raga.

Thank you. The words "Raga" and "just intonation" reminded me of another composer.

Wolfgang von Schweinitz - Plainsound Glissando Modulation
Raga in just intonation for violin and double bass, op. 49 (2006-2007)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH0vpPgf3XM

The sound is beautiful and interesting. The album is my favorite recent purchase. Sorry for keep digressing.

[milk]

Thank you. The words "Raga" and "just intonation" reminded me of another composer.

Wolfgang von Schweinitz - Plainsound Glissando Modulation
Raga in just intonation for violin and double bass, op. 49 (2006-2007)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH0vpPgf3XM

The sound is beautiful and interesting. The album is my favorite recent purchase. Sorry for keep digressing.

Sounds great! I'm afraid I'll have to buy this as well!

[torut]

You're welcome. I also just discovered it. It will take me a bit of time to get through the 5 hours! But I'm also liking it.

This is so good (I heard only the first 2 hours so far) I purchased the album played by R. Andrew Lee.

Dennis Johnson - November


Did Terry Riley compose works for a piano tuned in just intonation other than The Harp of New Albion?

Also, I am interested in this. I recently found Scodanibbio (thanks to snyprrr) and the solo album is very good.

Lazy Afternoon Among the Crocodiles & Diamond Fiddle Language - duets for synthesizer and double bass with Stefano Scodanibbio.

[7/4]

Did Terry Riley compose works for a piano tuned in just intonation other than The Harp of New Albion?

No Man's Land, I think. I'd have to check.

[torut]

No Man's Land, I think. I'd have to check.

Terry Riley's website or wikipedia doesn't tell anything about the instruments of No Man's Land. By the way, the website design of Terry Riley's official home page is one of the worst ones I have ever seen.

[7/4]

Terry Riley's website or wikipedia doesn't tell anything about the instruments of No Man's Land. By the way, the website design of Terry Riley's official home page is one of the worst ones I have ever seen.

He's updated the list of works page, but I'd still like to know more.

[7/4]

Probably out of print. There was an earlier release that I gave away when I got this one with the extra cuts. Deserves a re-issue, anything by Terry should be in print.

[torut]

Probably out of print. There was an earlier release that I gave away when I got this one with the extra cuts. Deserves a re-issue, anything by Terry should be in print.

Thank you. Looks nice but yes, it is OOP at Amazon.

According to websites (Riley's, Wikipedia), these are the other works for instruments in just intonation. I don't know how saxophone can be tuned in just intonation but the audio samples of Chanting the Light of Foresight sound nice.

Quando Cosas Malas Caen del Cielo ~ National Steel Guitar in Just Intonation
Moonshine Sonata ~ National Steel Guitar in Just Intonation and Korg Triton Synthesizer
Shri Camel for solo electronic organ tuned in just intonation and modified by digital delay
Chanting the Light of Foresight, with Rova Saxophone Quartet in just intonation