ARTIST...: Charlemagne Palestine
TITLE....: STTT THOMASSS æÆÆÆÆÆæÆÆDINGGGDONGGGDINGGGzzzzzzz ferrrr TONYYYÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ
YEAR.....: 2018
LABEL....: Blank Forms Editions
CAT.NO...: BF-001
GENRE....: Classical
TIME.....: 26:20
SIZE.....: 60.30 MB
QUALITY..: 320kbps/44.1kHz/Joint Stereo
ENCODER..: LAME
SOURCE...: WEB
RLS.DATE.: 2020/02/12
WEBSITE..: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/?id=B3oh344iqsezrnae44r56hlse34
TRACKLIST
01) (26:20) STTT THOMASSS æÆÆÆÆÆæÆÆDINGGGDONGGGDINGGGzzzzzzz ferrrr TONYYYÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ
In memory of the late polymath avant-garde artist Tony Conrad (1940-2016),
longtime friend and co-conspirator Charlemagne Palestine returned to the site
of their first encounter for a tribute performance on what would have been
ConradÆs 77th birthday.
Charlemagne Palestine is a composer, performer and visual artist born in
Brooklyn in 1947. Often labeled as one of the founders of minimalism
alongside Glass, Niblock, Reich, Riley, and Young, he prefers to call himself
a æmaximalistÆ, eschewing the clinical stereotypes of the former term in
favor of a full-blown erotics of possibility that in its ritualistic
performance conjures a sense of sacredness without specificity.
But before the intoxicating overtones of the Strumming Music for which he is
best known, before the stuffed animals and snifter of cognac that have become
his trademark onstage, PalestineÆs first solo performances were as
carillonneur of the Saint Thomas Church at 53rd Street and 5th Avenue in
Manhattan. From 5:00 to 5:30, every day between 1963 and 1970, Palestine
operated the 26-bell carillon, starting with the hymns he was expected to
play before shifting into improvised ôklanggdedangggebanngggö sessions that
would form the basis for his incantatory repetitions to come. Palestine
hammered the instrumentÆs keys with his fists and pounded its pedals with his
feet, effectively playing the entire building while relishing the corporeal
thrill of the ceremony. Soon known as the Quasimodo of midtown NYC, his
performances became a sonic mainstay of the neighborhood, attracting a
diverse group of fans including Tony Conrad who, then living in Times Square,
one day introduced himself inside the church. The artists became fast friends
and collaborators, with Palestine recording some of ConradÆs work on the
carillon and contributing music to his film Coming Attractions.
On March 7th 2017, Palestine climbed the spiral stairs of the Saint Thomas
ChurchÆs bell tower once again. This cassette features a full recording of
STTT THOMASSS æÆÆÆöÆöDINGGGDONGGGDINGGGzzzzzzz ferrrr TONYYYÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ,
preceded by a brief incantation delivered one month later at a Tony Conrad
memorial.
Released February 8, 2018
Introduction recorded April 8, 2017 by Ben Manley at the Clemente Soto VΘlez
Cultural and Educational Center.
Carillon recorded March 7, 2017 by Adrian Rew outside Saint Thomas Church as
part of Blank Forms' public programming.
Concept by Lawrence Kumpf.
Mastered by Robbie Lee.
Text and layout by Adrian Rew.
Special thanks to Julie Zhu and Saint Thomas Church.
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