Listen to works revolving around the idea of an ostinato – an insistent repeating phrase – from multi-instrumentalist Erik Hall playing Canto Ostinato by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt, composer/pianist/producer Kelly Moran, German sound designer and instrument builder, Ferdinand Forsch, and zither player, pianist, and composer Laraaji.
Chicago-born, Michigan-based multi-instrumentalist Erik Hall (NOMO, Wild Belle, Tall Buildings) takes on Canto Ostinato for four pianos by the late Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. However, Erik Hall varied the keyboards, using a 1962 Hammond M-101 organ, a 1978 Rhodes Mark I electric piano, and his family-heirloom 1910 Steinway grand piano to build a multi-track of every part, one at a time, without looping or sampling, and sometimes with the faint sound of turning pages. Listen to some 15 of the 106 sections of Simeon ten Holt’s magum opus.
Also, hear Laraaji’s electronically enhanced zither (originally a pawnshop autoharp that he customized), from the Brian Eno-produced record, Ambient 3- Day of Radiance, from the dance side of the album (as opposed to the meditation side.) Then, there’s music from composer, producer, and keyboardist Kelly Moran, which uses prepared piano, plucked piano strings, and a bit of synthesizer.
Listen also to gamelan-influenced work from Zemi17 (Aaron Taylor Kuffner) from his “sound producing kinetic sculptures” called Gamelatron. From this decade-long musical and artistic endeavor listen to music made with Gamelatron Bidadari, one of seventy-plus musical sculptures that Zemi17 has conceptualized, designed, and fabricated. Plus, listen to work by German sound designer and instrument builder, Ferdinand Forsch, for his string box. – Caryn Havlik
Program #4721, Ostinati (First aired 3/1/23)
ARTIST: Erik Hall
WORK: Simeon ten Holt: Canto Ostinato, Sections 15-30 [12:46]
RECORDING: Canto Ostinato (Simeon ten Holt)
SOURCE: Western Vinyl
INFO: erikhall.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Kelly Moran
WORK: optimist [3:05]
RECORDING: optimist
SOURCE/INFO: kellymoran.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Zemi17
WORK: Contours [8:59]
RECORDING: Gamelatron Bidadari
SOURCE: The Bunker
INFO: thebunkerny.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Grandbrothers
WORK: Infinite [5:28]
RECORDING: Late Reflections
SOURCE: City Slang | due out April 14, 2023
INFO: grandbrothers.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Ferdinand Forsch
WORK: String Box V [7:52]
RECORDING: Private Recording
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available.
INFO: www.youtube.com/@Klanghausff
ARTIST: Laraaji
WORK: Dance No. 2 [5:41]
RECORDING: Day of Radiance
SOURCE: EG #EGS-203
INFO: Amazon.com