John Zorn

[nathanb]

I'm going to try going through The Book Of Angels next, in a somewhat orderly fashion. I don't know what really qualifies as Masada Book One, whereas The Book Of Angels is very clearly marked in orderly volumes, so I guess that makes it more approachable for me. I'm a very systematic listener, if you haven't figured that out, lol...

That being said, I have already been listening to Zorn exclusively for several days, and American music exclusively for about 3 weeks, so I need to throw in some other binges as well.

[Mirror Image]

I'll have to share my Zorn collection here at some point...

The guy puts out so many recordings a year that it's difficult to keep up with what he's doing.

[chadfeldheimer]

Lately I'm enjoying his more serious music in the modern classical vein like on his discs "Fragmentations, Prayers and Interjections" and "Music and It's Double" quite a lot. Being also informed of/influenced by "lighter" musical forms like Jazz and Rock seems to prevent him from trapping into the pitfalls of overambition and pretentiosness, which composers with purely classical socialization and carreer more often have difficulties to bypass imo.

[chadfeldheimer]

The latest addition to my Zorn collection
[asin]B0010WDDWO[/asin]
Like it quite a lot. Has the potential of becoming my favorite "classical" Zorn release. Only drawback is the short playing time with 26:34, which would rather go well with EP than with a full priced CD. On the other hand Zorn describes the work as an opera, and in that regard I doubt the EP format fits very well. 

[chadfeldheimer]

Great interview!

http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=217195249

Thanks for the link. Very interesting. Must be the most personal Interview I read from him.

It's a pity that I didn't manage to get a ticket for the John Zorn marathon on 30.3.2017 in Hamburgs new concert venue Elbphilharmonie. It was sold out to quickly!

[chadfeldheimer]

You're welcome, but it is actually a audio interview you can listen to (see page, top right) - on desktop not mobile

Ok - thanks. I read it on the mobile but at opportunity I will also listen to it.

[Mirror Image]

I don't think Zorn's classical works are particularly good, but his 'imaginary' film scores, jazz, and rock works are high quality.

[chadfeldheimer]

For my part I would say I enjoy Zorns latest classical works more than his latest rock, surf, klezmer, film music or whatever outings, which all sound a bit too versed for me. My absolute favorites remain works from the period between ca. 1985 - 1995, which had an edge to them I miss a bit at later works. His "Masada with classical arrangements" like on "Bar Kokhba" and "The Circle Maker" are also great.

I think many of his classical works deserve to enter the classical canon, alongside any other major 20th century composer.
I'm in love with his classical music, probably because I understand and relate completely to where he is coming from artistically and aesthetically. 

The 20th century and to a lesser degree the 21th are crowded with great works, so having a place in the canon is a great honour for a piece/composer. What Zorn works are you thinking of?

[chadfeldheimer]

Hey Chad man!

Well, in chronological order:

Christabel
Cat 'O Nine Tails
For Your Eyes Only
Dead Man Variations
Memento Mori
Rituals
Contes de Fées
Chimeras
Necronomicon
The Alchemist
All Hallows Eve
Suppots et Suppliciations
The Temptations of St. Anthony
Occam's Razor
The Aristos

Cool - thanks. I'm always curious about Zorn recommendations, cause his output is that large and it also contains some discs/pieces that are less worthwhile imo.

[chadfeldheimer]

I'm really digging , Moonchild: Songs Without Words and Moonchild: Astronome, lately.
I've always loved Moonchild but I'm enjoying it immensely! 

Btw, these aren't classical ones this time 

Perhaps I should give those moonchild records another chance. My first impression back in the day was not so great. Thought it paled compared to Naked City. I even sold the first moonchild album, which was the only one I purchased.

[chadfeldheimer]

Chad, have you heard Templars In Sacred Blood?
Each track has a more traditional "song structure" and Patton has text (aka lyrics).
It's more accessible in that way, I'm very sure in my opinion that Moonchild is one of the highlights of his non-classical music, it's really something special 

Interesting. I heard it once in the record store. I remember it has some klezmer melodies in it, which I did not find very fitting in the extreme metal context, but that was just a first impression. On occasion I will give it another try if I find it on youtube or so. Spotify I thing does not have much Zorn. What would be your favorite album from the Moonchild trio?

[chadfeldheimer]

I absolutely love it, it's very different to Naked City though.
This is him really expressing the mystical/hermetic aesthetic through a metal/rock band essentially. One of the best ways to get a grasp of how to approach it, is directly through the three artists that the whole Moonchild project is dedicated to/inspired by.

Many of the abrasive musical elements are reminiscent of Edgard Varese (and the block form), the very intense vocals are influenced by Antonin Artaud's Theatre Of Cruelty (many of the drawings in some of the Moonchild albums are even Artaud's) and Aleister Crowley who is kind of obvious too through the occult themes throughout Moonchild (and many of Zorn's post-2000 music) 

Thanks - knowing those influences could be my starting point for a better understanding of this music. Varese however is the only one of those I'm really familiar with.

[chadfeldheimer]

Picked up The Crucible lately! Good album. Like it way more than the first Moonchild album, the only Moonchild album I owned and which I sold again, because it sounded a bit volitional in my ears.
[asin]B01N6LWH9E[/asin]
My favorite "late" Zorn remains the classical composer however.

[chadfeldheimer]

Yes, I love that album!

Have you heard any of the Simulacrum (project) albums?

The latest one "The Garden Of Earthly Delights is really impressive, as the rest of that project 

...and the latest Book Of Angel's album? Volume 30; Leonard?

It's all very impressive. 

I once listened to one of the Simulacrum albums via Youtube, don't remember which one exactely. Instrumentally I found it quite good. Compared to the Moonchild Trio the members seem to have more of an extreme metal background. That's not a drawback for me - there are several Extreme Metal bands I like a lot and find interesting. But somehow I missed vocals, which I prefer to have in that kind of music.

[bwv 1080]

Always loved this album

https://www.youtube.com/v/e_biryRi8xo


and a more mellow recent one

[chadfeldheimer]

Lately bought "Dictee: Liber Novus" containing two of Zorn's latest works in the game piece genre, one of the genres where Zorn is at his most compelling imo. Good stuff.

[bwv 1080]

You seem to be well-versed in contemporary music, what do you think of his quartet and ensemble works? 

Not been that interested in his works for traditional ensembles,  have only given Carny & Cat O' Nine Tails a real listen.  Prefer the electric stuff like Naked City, Painkiller & Moonchild

[chadfeldheimer]

Yo Chad, anything cooking lately? 

Not really. Hadn't bought some new Zorn for a while. Lately I thought about purchasing "Yankees", the album from the early 80s he did together with Derek Bailey and George Lewis. It seems quite unique in his oeuvre and I love Derek Bailey.

[Mirror Image]

I was just looking through my Zorn collection the other day --- man, I've got a lot of his recordings. Last month, I bought four I didn't have (and wanted): Pellucidar: A Dreamers Fantabula, The Painted Bird, The Mockingbird, and True Discoveries of Witches & Demons. Looking forward to hearing these.

I'll have to list all of the Zorn recordings I own. I think I'll work on that now...

[Mirror Image]

Let's see I own the following Zorn recordings (in no particular order):

Naked City: Complete Studio Recordings
Naked City: Live
At the Gates of Paradise
A Vision in Blakelight
O'o
News For Lulu
Transmigration of the Magus
IAO
The Goddess (Music for the Ancient of Days)
The Dreamers
Filmworks Anthology: 20 Years of Soundtrack Music 1986 - 2005
Bar Kokhba
Cartoon S & M
Godard/Spillane
The Circle Maker
Masada Guitars
The String Quartets
New Traditions in East Asian Bar Bands
Elegy
Mount Analogue
Bar Kokhba Sextet: 50th Birthday Celebration, Vol. 2
Electric Masada: 50th Birthday Celebration, Vol. 5
The Bribe
Filmworks X: In the Mirror of Maya Deren
Filmworks XIX: The Rain Horse
Filmworks XXIII: El General
Filmworks XIII: Invitation to a Suicide
Filmworks XXIV: The Nobel Prize Winner
Alhambra Love Songs
Dreamachines
Nosferatu
The Gnostic Preludes
The Mysteries
In Lambeth: Visions from the Walled Gardens of William Blake
The Book of Angels, Vol. 10 - Lucifer: Bar Kokhba Plays Masada Book Two
The Book of Angels, Vol. 20 - Tap: Pat Metheny Plays Masada Book Two
The Leaves of Grass
In Search of the Miraculous
The Big Gundown: John Zorn Plays the Music of Ennio Morricone
The Gift
The Mockingbird
Pellucidar: A Dreamers Fantabula
The Painted Bird
True Discoveries of Witches & Demons