The Well & The Gentle
Originally released in 1985, "The Well & The Gentle" has finally been repackaged by Important with a bumper set of liner notes. Deep and meditative, the two substantial works highlight Oliveros' approach to collaboration, and sound as singular now as they did almost 40 years ago.
When Pauline Oliveros composed for musicians, she didn't take the Tár route - she wasn't trying to engage in a petty display of power, quite the opposite in fact, she was attempting to communicate revolutionary ideas about interdependence by encouraging different ways of writing and collaborating. "The Well & The Gentle" was written to encourage participation from the performers, asking them not to just play the pieces but react to the writing and direct the pieces into fresh places. On the first disc, Oliveros teams up with Philly troupe Relâche, who realize her compositions with no small amount of grace. 'The Well' is softly paced but completely poetic, moving almost operatically as it swells from Oliveros' recognizable accordion drones into a full-fledged ensemble piece. Meditative and detailed, it wisps like shadows in candlelight, and the closer you listen the more you get to unravel.
'The Gentle (I)' is quite different, this time centering Relâche who play a fluid, folkish reaction to 20th Century American minimalism, repeating percussive phrases that flutter around Reich-ian woodblock smacks. Oliveros takes the lead on the second disc, playing her just intoned accordion on 'The Receptive' and revisiting an earlier composition on 'The Gentle (II)'. Without Relâche, the piece is significantly denser, focusing on shimmering accordion phrases rather than skeletal percussive loops. Oliveros whips them into a blur of unusually-tuned harmonies that smudge so effectively that it almost forms an organ-like thrum. Seriously good stuff, absolutely crucial listening if you're into anything from Ellen Arkbro or Kali Malone to CC Hennix or La Monte Young.
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Originally released in 1985, "The Well & The Gentle" has finally been repackaged by Important with a bumper set of liner notes. Deep and meditative, the two substantial works highlight Oliveros' approach to collaboration, and sound as singular now as they did almost 40 years ago.
When Pauline Oliveros composed for musicians, she didn't take the Tár route - she wasn't trying to engage in a petty display of power, quite the opposite in fact, she was attempting to communicate revolutionary ideas about interdependence by encouraging different ways of writing and collaborating. "The Well & The Gentle" was written to encourage participation from the performers, asking them not to just play the pieces but react to the writing and direct the pieces into fresh places. On the first disc, Oliveros teams up with Philly troupe Relâche, who realize her compositions with no small amount of grace. 'The Well' is softly paced but completely poetic, moving almost operatically as it swells from Oliveros' recognizable accordion drones into a full-fledged ensemble piece. Meditative and detailed, it wisps like shadows in candlelight, and the closer you listen the more you get to unravel.
'The Gentle (I)' is quite different, this time centering Relâche who play a fluid, folkish reaction to 20th Century American minimalism, repeating percussive phrases that flutter around Reich-ian woodblock smacks. Oliveros takes the lead on the second disc, playing her just intoned accordion on 'The Receptive' and revisiting an earlier composition on 'The Gentle (II)'. Without Relâche, the piece is significantly denser, focusing on shimmering accordion phrases rather than skeletal percussive loops. Oliveros whips them into a blur of unusually-tuned harmonies that smudge so effectively that it almost forms an organ-like thrum. Seriously good stuff, absolutely crucial listening if you're into anything from Ellen Arkbro or Kali Malone to CC Hennix or La Monte Young.
Originally released in 1985, "The Well & The Gentle" has finally been repackaged by Important with a bumper set of liner notes. Deep and meditative, the two substantial works highlight Oliveros' approach to collaboration, and sound as singular now as they did almost 40 years ago.
When Pauline Oliveros composed for musicians, she didn't take the Tár route - she wasn't trying to engage in a petty display of power, quite the opposite in fact, she was attempting to communicate revolutionary ideas about interdependence by encouraging different ways of writing and collaborating. "The Well & The Gentle" was written to encourage participation from the performers, asking them not to just play the pieces but react to the writing and direct the pieces into fresh places. On the first disc, Oliveros teams up with Philly troupe Relâche, who realize her compositions with no small amount of grace. 'The Well' is softly paced but completely poetic, moving almost operatically as it swells from Oliveros' recognizable accordion drones into a full-fledged ensemble piece. Meditative and detailed, it wisps like shadows in candlelight, and the closer you listen the more you get to unravel.
'The Gentle (I)' is quite different, this time centering Relâche who play a fluid, folkish reaction to 20th Century American minimalism, repeating percussive phrases that flutter around Reich-ian woodblock smacks. Oliveros takes the lead on the second disc, playing her just intoned accordion on 'The Receptive' and revisiting an earlier composition on 'The Gentle (II)'. Without Relâche, the piece is significantly denser, focusing on shimmering accordion phrases rather than skeletal percussive loops. Oliveros whips them into a blur of unusually-tuned harmonies that smudge so effectively that it almost forms an organ-like thrum. Seriously good stuff, absolutely crucial listening if you're into anything from Ellen Arkbro or Kali Malone to CC Hennix or La Monte Young.
Originally released in 1985, "The Well & The Gentle" has finally been repackaged by Important with a bumper set of liner notes. Deep and meditative, the two substantial works highlight Oliveros' approach to collaboration, and sound as singular now as they did almost 40 years ago.
When Pauline Oliveros composed for musicians, she didn't take the Tár route - she wasn't trying to engage in a petty display of power, quite the opposite in fact, she was attempting to communicate revolutionary ideas about interdependence by encouraging different ways of writing and collaborating. "The Well & The Gentle" was written to encourage participation from the performers, asking them not to just play the pieces but react to the writing and direct the pieces into fresh places. On the first disc, Oliveros teams up with Philly troupe Relâche, who realize her compositions with no small amount of grace. 'The Well' is softly paced but completely poetic, moving almost operatically as it swells from Oliveros' recognizable accordion drones into a full-fledged ensemble piece. Meditative and detailed, it wisps like shadows in candlelight, and the closer you listen the more you get to unravel.
'The Gentle (I)' is quite different, this time centering Relâche who play a fluid, folkish reaction to 20th Century American minimalism, repeating percussive phrases that flutter around Reich-ian woodblock smacks. Oliveros takes the lead on the second disc, playing her just intoned accordion on 'The Receptive' and revisiting an earlier composition on 'The Gentle (II)'. Without Relâche, the piece is significantly denser, focusing on shimmering accordion phrases rather than skeletal percussive loops. Oliveros whips them into a blur of unusually-tuned harmonies that smudge so effectively that it almost forms an organ-like thrum. Seriously good stuff, absolutely crucial listening if you're into anything from Ellen Arkbro or Kali Malone to CC Hennix or La Monte Young.
Double vinyl in a gatefold sleeve with extensive liner notes.
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Originally released in 1985, "The Well & The Gentle" has finally been repackaged by Important with a bumper set of liner notes. Deep and meditative, the two substantial works highlight Oliveros' approach to collaboration, and sound as singular now as they did almost 40 years ago.
When Pauline Oliveros composed for musicians, she didn't take the Tár route - she wasn't trying to engage in a petty display of power, quite the opposite in fact, she was attempting to communicate revolutionary ideas about interdependence by encouraging different ways of writing and collaborating. "The Well & The Gentle" was written to encourage participation from the performers, asking them not to just play the pieces but react to the writing and direct the pieces into fresh places. On the first disc, Oliveros teams up with Philly troupe Relâche, who realize her compositions with no small amount of grace. 'The Well' is softly paced but completely poetic, moving almost operatically as it swells from Oliveros' recognizable accordion drones into a full-fledged ensemble piece. Meditative and detailed, it wisps like shadows in candlelight, and the closer you listen the more you get to unravel.
'The Gentle (I)' is quite different, this time centering Relâche who play a fluid, folkish reaction to 20th Century American minimalism, repeating percussive phrases that flutter around Reich-ian woodblock smacks. Oliveros takes the lead on the second disc, playing her just intoned accordion on 'The Receptive' and revisiting an earlier composition on 'The Gentle (II)'. Without Relâche, the piece is significantly denser, focusing on shimmering accordion phrases rather than skeletal percussive loops. Oliveros whips them into a blur of unusually-tuned harmonies that smudge so effectively that it almost forms an organ-like thrum. Seriously good stuff, absolutely crucial listening if you're into anything from Ellen Arkbro or Kali Malone to CC Hennix or La Monte Young.