Pauline Oliveros — Sound Pieces
Between 1975-1996 respected American experimental composer Pauline Oliveros wrote a series of pieces jointly known as ‘Sound Pieces’. These text-scored compositions focused on certain pitches with an open instrumental setting. Here we find six of said compositions played by the highly respected modern ensemble Apartment House- with the work being fairly varied moving pattern & tone-based work, to more droning & sonically pressing works.
This CD release appears on the ever-reliable Another Timbre- who are of course one of the key labels releasing modern composition/ modern classic music. The disc is presented in the labels house style white card gatefold- on the front cover we get a detailed & layered pattern-based artwork- and this fits the release very nicely. The release can be purchased directly from here.
Over the six pieces here there are thirteen players involved- and as I mentioned in my introduction is a fairly varied selection of tracks. We go from 1986’s “Quintessential” which brings together spaced percussive bashes & strikes, warbling piping, declining tone hovers, and atmospheric neck creeks with later on occasional flows of a plaintive piano. There’s the simmering, slightly sour and pressing drone disquiet of the wonderfully titled “Horse Sings For A Cloud” from 1975.
In the album's second half, we go from “David Tordor” from the year 1980. Here we find haphazardly hovering string and wind instrumentation, underfed by tension build percussive builds and falls. With the album playing out with the six-part “Tree/ Peace”- this 1984 piece is for Volin, piano and cello. It plays for a total of forty-one minutes and forty seconds. And is a spellbinding journey in light-baying saws, hazy tone glimmers, and plaintive key strikes and bounds. Really keeping you on your toes throughout with its drifting to jarring structure.
In the past I’ve only really heard Ms Oliveros's work in an electronic setting- so it’s wonderful to hear it beautifully realized here in acoustic form by The Apartment House. I’d say if you enjoyed the excellent John Cage Number Piece box set by the ensemble from a few years back( also on Another Timbre) you’ll very much enjoy what is on offer here.