#4651, Breathing Songs
Musicians can’t sing or play wind instrument without breath. Even with string players, rhythm of breath is part of the composition. For this New Sounds, hear music with a focus on breath by Korean-American composer and pianist Juri Seo and Seattle-based composer and teacher Janice Giteck. Plus, breath-centric work by Arcade Fire's multi-instrumentalist composer Richard Reed Parry.
From her record, Respiri, listen to music by Juri Seo, the Korean -American composer, pianist, and professor, also a Guggenheim fellow and a Koussevitsky Commission recipient. It’s her "homage to late British composer Jonathan Harvey, a practising Buddhist. Seo takes Harvey’s signature musical gesture – an evocation of breathing – and expands it to a long arch. The breaths simply stop at the end, symbolizing a peaceful death,” (liner notes, Innova.) Then, hear electroacoustic music featuring bells and boy soprano from Jonathan Harvey.
Also, listen to music as reflection of the breath from Richard Reed Parry, for the Bang on a Can All-Stars. The musicians play composed music determined by their breathing or heart-rate, while keeping pace via stethoscope, and anchored by chiming chords from pianist Vicky Chow. There’s also work by Seattle-based composer Janice Giteck, and her Breathing Songs From a Turning Sky, inspired by the music and culture of the Native American people of the Pacific Northwest. And more. – Caryn Havlik
Program #4651, Breathing Songs (first aired 8/18/22)
ARTIST: Argus Quartet
WORK: Juri Seo: Respiri [1:00]
RECORDING: Juri Seo - Respiri
SOURCE: Innova Recordings
INFO: innova.mu/albums/juri-seo/respiri
ARTIST: Adam Plack & Johnny White Ant Soames
WORK: Eagle Totem [4:11]
RECORDING: Dawn Until Dusk
SOURCE: Australian Music International AMI 3003
INFO: Try Discogs.com or Amazon.com
ARTIST: New Performance Group in Music
WORK: Janice Giteck: Breathing Songs From a Turning Sky, 1, 5 [6:42]
RECORDING: Janice Giteck: Breathing Songs From a Turning Sky
SOURCE: Mode Records
INFO: www.moderecords.com
ARTIST: Bang on a Can All-Stars
WORK: Richard Reed Parry: The Brief and Neverending Blur [5:08]
RECORDING: More Field Recordings
SOURCE: Cantaloupe Music
INFO: bangonacan.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Argus Quartet
WORK: Juri Seo: Respiri [7:38]
RECORDING: Juri Seo - Respiri
SOURCE: Innova Recordings
INFO: innova.mu/albums/juri-seo/respiri
ARTIST: Jonathan Harvey
WORK: Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco [9:00]
RECORDING: Computer Music Currents 5
SOURCE: Wergo
INFO: Try Discogs.com or Amazon.com
ARTIST: Equilibrium (Sissel vera petterson, Joachim Badenhorst, Mikkel Ploug)
WORK: Respire [3:56]
RECORDING: Liquid light
SOURCE: Songlines Records SGL 1608-2
INFO: http://songlines.com/release/liquid-light
ARTIST: Echo Collective
WORK: Respire [6:24]
RECORDING: The See Within
SOURCE: 7K! Records
INFO: echo-collective.bandcamp.com
