Avant Garde Project torrent 162 is up and running

[loudav]

AGP162 is the fifth and (for the time being, I think) final installment in our long-overdue celebration of the work of the legendary pioneering minimalist composer La Monte Young. This one features an unauthorized release of what sounds like a concert recording of excerpts from Just Charles & Cello In The Romantic Chord (2002-2003), with Charles Curtis on cello (who is in fact the only cellist authorized to perform this work). The concert performances of this work lasted about four hours, of which about two hours are included in this recording. Professor Curtis plays cello over pre-recorded drones that he controlled on stage by means of foot pedals. The lighting composition was created by Marian Zazeela.

This may be my favorite of the La Monte Young installments. The harmonic explorations are akin to those in The Well-Tuned Piano, but the potential for unlimited sustain in the cello and the softer edge of the instrumental sound better enable me to drink in the slowly explored tonal relationships. If you could imagine a two-hour alap performed by a very self-effacing sarangi player, you'll have some idea of the sound. Listening to it again just now, I found myself imagining arrangements for vielle a roue or bagpipe. Both would entail some modifications of the instruments to accommodate Young's just intonation and the changing drones, but with a suitably fit instrumentalist you could recreate the piece without having to pre-record the drones.

Check it out at:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5210726

Enjoy!