In stock
LP
ZEITKRATZER
“James Tenney”
By zkr director Reinhold Friedl’s personal request now available on vinyl for the first time: Zeitkratzer's critically acclaimed interpretations of groundbreaking compositions by James Tenney.
James Tenney (1934 - 2006) was a composer, music theorist and pioneer especially in the field of microtonal music, being an influential part of the so-called New York avantgarde scene (Cage, Feldman). Besides his compositonal work, Tenney was teacher at various universities with students like Charlemagne Palestine, Carl Stone Or Catherine Lamb, and a close friend with Eliane Radigue.
This album by Zeitkratzer presents three compostions by Tenney whose music has been part of zeitkratzer’s repertoire since their beginning:
- « Critical Band » – Tenney’s late classic – with maximum clarity and precision of bearing tone rhythms and microtonal tuning as light effect.
- the first recording of « Harmonium #2 ».
Both works demonstrate the remarkable power and resplendent sharpness which Tenney achieved with his microtonal settings.
Zeitkratzer’s approach to Tenney’s music as a sensual sound adventure, finally available on vinyl.
20,50€
In stock
LP
ZEITKRATZER
“Alvin Lucier”
By zkr director Reinhold Friedl’s personal request now available on vinyl for the first time: zeitkratzer's critically acclaimed interpretations of compositions by Alvin Lucier.
Alvin Lucier (1931 – 2021) was one of the most influential american minimalists. Some call him „sound physician“ as his compositions are often based on acoustic research settings. His pieces tend to turn inside-out the properties of space and instruments: poems based on acoustic settings!
Zeitkratzer worked with the composer in Dijon, France in 2008, and presented his music in various places. These recordings have been realized at Philharmonie Luxembourg that turned out to be the ideal space for this music.
On this album you can hear how Lucier enables zeitkratzer to create sounds a lot of people have never heard before. Ringing overtones, a singing piano, a thrilling concert triangle, pencils on little objects, and how irritating a violoncello, a viola and a piano can sound together creating shifting sonic interferences. Sound phenomenology, evoking a sensual listening experience.
20,50€
In stock
LP
ZEITKRATZER
“performs songs from Kraftwerk 2 and Kraftwerk”
2nd volume of "modern composition supergroup" (The Wire) Zeitkratzer's re-interpretations of early compositions by electronic pioneers Kraftwerk.
In more than two decades Zeitkratzer has created an astonishing broad catalogue from the obligatory (20th century avant-garde composers like Cage or Stockhausen) to the unexpected (electronic artists such as Carsten Nicolai, Terre Thaemlitz or underground experimentalists like Throbbing Gristle and Keiji Haino) – but hardly anyone was prepared for the ensemble’s choice of early Kraftwerk pieces! When volume 1 was released in 2017, Zeitkratzer founder and director Reinhold Friedl announced that there'll be a volume 2 of course – and here it is : from the opening drony horns of "Harmonika" to the subtle guitar of the album closer "Wellenlänge", the 4 tracks own all the interpretatory and aesthetic acerbity the ensemble is known and praised for.
19,00€
In stock
LP
ZEITKRATZER
“performs songs from the albums “Kraftwerk” and “Kraftwerk 2”
Founded in 1997 by Reinhold Friedl, Zeitkratzer have since been creating an impressive catalogue of recordings that embraces 20th century avant-garde composers (Cage, Stockhausen, Lucier) as well as electronic artists (Carsten Nicolai, Terre Thaemlitz) or underground experimentalists like Throbbing Gristle or Column One. In their 20th anniversary year, the critically acclaimed ensemble will release a series of diverse albums that will explore new grounds in the typical, adventurous zeitkratzer way – the first of these albums is dedicated to Kraftwerk and their early, kraut-esque albums “Kraftwerk” and “Kraftwerk 2”. As Kraftwerk never re-released these albums, Zeitkratzer gave its best to cover the first tranche of the songs (second tranche to come…).
Recorded in Marseille, France in May 2016, the six tracks reveal a bucolic and even psychedelic aspect of the ensemble that’s mostly known (or feared) for its interpretatory and aesthetic acerbity. And yet there’s no doubt that “Songs From The Albums “Kraftwerk“ And “Kraftwerk 2“ turned out a true Zeitkratzer recording in the best and full meaning!
Zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl with Frank Gratkowski, flute, clarinets, Elena Kakaliagou, French horn, Hilary Jeffer, trombone, Reinhold Friedl harmonium, piano, Didier Ascour, guitar, Maurice de Martin, drums, Lisa Marie Landgraf, violin, Burkhard Schlothauer, violin, Elisabeth Coudoux, violoncello, Ulrich Phillipp, double bass.
Recorded and mixed by Martin Wurmnest. Mastered & cut by Mike Grinser at D&M, Berlin.
Recorded in Marseille, France in May 2016, the six tracks reveal a bucolic and even psychedelic aspect of the ensemble that’s mostly known (or feared) for its interpretatory and aesthetic acerbity. And yet there’s no doubt that “Songs From The Albums “Kraftwerk“ And “Kraftwerk 2“ turned out a true Zeitkratzer recording in the best and full meaning!
Zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl with Frank Gratkowski, flute, clarinets, Elena Kakaliagou, French horn, Hilary Jeffer, trombone, Reinhold Friedl harmonium, piano, Didier Ascour, guitar, Maurice de Martin, drums, Lisa Marie Landgraf, violin, Burkhard Schlothauer, violin, Elisabeth Coudoux, violoncello, Ulrich Phillipp, double bass.
Recorded and mixed by Martin Wurmnest. Mastered & cut by Mike Grinser at D&M, Berlin.
19,00€
In stock
2 LP
ZEITKRATZER
“Lou Reed Metal Machine Music”
About 10 years after their first, critically acclaimed performances of Lou Reed’s adventurous album, zeitkratzer presents an audacious new interpretation of this 20th century avant-garde classic. Here, for the first time ever, all four parts of Metal Machine Music played by zeitkratzer on one recording! Seriously “clangorous”!
This new version of Metal Machine Music is even more transparent, instrumentally pure and radical than the shortened 2007 release; live recordings from concerts in Rome and Reggio Emilia, Italy, mixed and mastered by Rashad Becker. A real sound experience!
After their first performances in 2002 (documented on the 2007 CD release on Asphodel) zeitkratzer gave Reed’s album a new thorough listen and transcribed the sounds to create an acoustic score for the ensemble to play live. Those familiar with the oft-criticized two-disc album might wonder how they pulled this off, but they did and their interpretation of the work brought it to the attention of a wider audience. It is therefore partly thanks to the zeitkratzer version that Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music has been rediscovered as a classic of the Twentieth Century. It was at the live performance with zeitkratzer in Berlin, that Lou Reed spoke for the first time in public about the musical details of his composition, in an interview with Diedrich Diedrichsen.
zeitkratzer was clearly ready for the challenges of performing Metal Machine Music live, and drew packed houses for their presentation of the work. This confirmed their assertion that rock’n’roll as serious contemporary music has been ignored for too long, in too arrogant a way. The relentless sound forces the mind to put aside its preconceptions about what music is supposed to sound like, or feel like, or look like. The brain starts to implode, or explode, or dissolve Zen-like into the controlled chaos of the performance, discovering a strange exhilaration, accepting an invitation to explore the outer reaches of texture and timbre, to experience a sonic freedom that’s rare in any art form. These recordings from the Metal Machine Music has become even more intense and worked out during the ten years of zeitkratzer playing it live at numerous international festivals - contemporary music festivals, noise festivals, improvisation festivals, - it’s impossible to limit this music to one genre. Metal Machine Music has gained a new quality of clarity, sound transparence and musical intensity. Real radical contemporary chamber noise music! These recordings from the Festival Romaeuropa in Rome and the Festival Aperto in Reggio Emilia (2012) present zeitkratzer not only at their very best, the splendid mix by Rashad Becker also reveals new aspects of this 20th century avant-garde classic!
zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl. Frank Gratkowski, clarinets. Matt David, trumpet. Hilary Jeffery, trombone. Reinhold Friedl, piano. Marc Weiser, guitar. Maurice de Martin, percussion. Burkhard Schlothauer, violin. Anton Lukoszevieze, cello. Uli Phillipp, doublebass.
This new version of Metal Machine Music is even more transparent, instrumentally pure and radical than the shortened 2007 release; live recordings from concerts in Rome and Reggio Emilia, Italy, mixed and mastered by Rashad Becker. A real sound experience!
After their first performances in 2002 (documented on the 2007 CD release on Asphodel) zeitkratzer gave Reed’s album a new thorough listen and transcribed the sounds to create an acoustic score for the ensemble to play live. Those familiar with the oft-criticized two-disc album might wonder how they pulled this off, but they did and their interpretation of the work brought it to the attention of a wider audience. It is therefore partly thanks to the zeitkratzer version that Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music has been rediscovered as a classic of the Twentieth Century. It was at the live performance with zeitkratzer in Berlin, that Lou Reed spoke for the first time in public about the musical details of his composition, in an interview with Diedrich Diedrichsen.
zeitkratzer was clearly ready for the challenges of performing Metal Machine Music live, and drew packed houses for their presentation of the work. This confirmed their assertion that rock’n’roll as serious contemporary music has been ignored for too long, in too arrogant a way. The relentless sound forces the mind to put aside its preconceptions about what music is supposed to sound like, or feel like, or look like. The brain starts to implode, or explode, or dissolve Zen-like into the controlled chaos of the performance, discovering a strange exhilaration, accepting an invitation to explore the outer reaches of texture and timbre, to experience a sonic freedom that’s rare in any art form. These recordings from the Metal Machine Music has become even more intense and worked out during the ten years of zeitkratzer playing it live at numerous international festivals - contemporary music festivals, noise festivals, improvisation festivals, - it’s impossible to limit this music to one genre. Metal Machine Music has gained a new quality of clarity, sound transparence and musical intensity. Real radical contemporary chamber noise music! These recordings from the Festival Romaeuropa in Rome and the Festival Aperto in Reggio Emilia (2012) present zeitkratzer not only at their very best, the splendid mix by Rashad Becker also reveals new aspects of this 20th century avant-garde classic!
zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl. Frank Gratkowski, clarinets. Matt David, trumpet. Hilary Jeffery, trombone. Reinhold Friedl, piano. Marc Weiser, guitar. Maurice de Martin, percussion. Burkhard Schlothauer, violin. Anton Lukoszevieze, cello. Uli Phillipp, doublebass.
26,00€
In stock
CD
ZEITKRATZER
“Whitehouse. Performed live”
2nd collaboration between the critically acclaimed ensemble zeitkratzer and the great pioneer of noise / industrial William Bennett aka Whitehouse. Music with crystal clear, even neurosurgical precision - pure acoustic power!
William Bennett, the musical mastermind behind Whitehouse and Cut Hanvioloncellods, has already worked with zeitkratzer at several occasions. 4 years after their first CD (Whitehouse, zeitkratzer records) the critically acclaimed ensemble and the highly influential noise pioneer release their second album. Recorded live at the festival Musique Action in Nancy / France, the new recording goes even further: while the deep bass frequencies - produced by the huge orchestra drum, at some points as well by the beaten bass strings of the piano or by subtones of the horns - made vibrate not only the floor of the venue while on the other hand high piping sounds, amplified violin harmonics, bitten clarinet tones attack the listener. A music with crystal clear or even neurosurgical precision. And one can hear voices all over - distorted from being spoken through a trombone, a French horn, phantom voices in the density of the sounds, etc. No electronic effects are used - it’s pure acoustic power!
zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl. Frank Gratkowski, clarinets / Hild Sofie Tafjord, french horn / Hilary Jeffery, trombone / Reinhold Friedl, piano / Tony Buck, percussion / Lisa Marie Landgraf, violin / Burkhard Schlothauer, violin / Anton Lukoszevieze, violoncello / Uli Phillipp, double bass. Guest: William Bennett, voice [01]. Recorded live at Musique Action in Nancy, France. Recorded and mixed by Martin Wurmnest. Mastered & cut by Rashad Becker at D&M, Berlin.
15,00€
In stock
CD
ZEITKRATZER
“(Old school) James Tenney”
“Critical Band” (1988), “Harmonium
2” (1976), “Koan: Having Never Written A Note For Percussion” (1971). Zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl: Frank Gratkowski (clarinet), Hayden Chisholm (alto saxophone), Matt Davis (trumpet), Hilary Jeffery (trombone), Reinhold Friedl (piano), Maurice de Martin (percussion), Burkhard Schlothauer (violin), Anton Lukoszevieze (cello), Uli Phillipp (doublebass), Ralf Meinz (sound ). Recorded live at Philharmonie Luxembourg, Luxembourg, October 3, 2009. Recorded and mixed by Ralf Meinz and Reinhold Friedl, produced by Burkhard Schlothauer, executive producer: Reinhold Friedl.
“The internationally acclaimed “hilarious releases” [vital weekly] of zeitkratzer records will continue with the new series [old school]. The first two CDs, dedicated to the music of John Cage [zkr0009] and James Tenney [zkr0010] are now released together. The collaboration of zeitkratzer with William Bennett /Whitehouse [zkr0007], recorded live in 2009 in Marseille/France and Den Haag/Netherlands, will follow this summer. Later in 2010, the [old school] series will continue with two more releases, dedicated to the music of Alvin Lucier [zkr0011] and Morton Feldman [zkr0012] respectively. James Tenney’s music has been part of zeitkratzer’s repertoire for almost a decade. This CD presents a new recording of Critical Band - Tenney’s late classic - with maximum clarity. Also included is the first recording of Harmonium
2. Both works demonstrate the remarkable power and resplendent sharpness which Tenney achieved by composing with pure tunings. Koan: Having Never Written A Note For Percussion for tam-tam completes this CD with an orgiastic listening experience in the form of a huge crescendo on this wonderfully simple instrument - from whispering to singing, culminating in shrill roaring and blustering - and it’s dark decay. Tenney’s music as a sensual sound adventure !”
15,00€
In stock
CD
ZEITKRATZER
“(Old school) John Cage”
“Four6” (1992), “Five” (1988), “Hymnkus” (1986). Zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl: Frank Gratkowski (bassclarinet, clarinet), Hayden Chisholm (clarinet), Franz Hautzinger (trumpet), Reinhold Friedl (piano), Maurice de Martin (percussion), Burkhard Schlothauer (violin), Anton Lukoszevieze (cello), Uli Phillipp (doublebass), Ralf Meinz (sound). Recorded live at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, UK, November 26, 2006. Recorded and mixed by Ralf Meinz and Reinhold Friedl, produced by Burkhard Schlothauer, executive producer: Reinhold Friedl.”
“The internationally acclaimed “hilarious releases” [vital weekly] of zeitkratzer records will continue with the new series [old school]. The first two CDs, dedicated to the music of John Cage [zkr0009] and James Tenney [zkr0010] are now released together. The collaboration of zeitkratzer with William Bennett (Whitehouse) [zkr0007], recorded live in 2009 in Marseille, France and Den Haag, Netherlands, will follow this summer. Later in 2010, the [old school] series will continue with two more releases, dedicated to the music of Alvin Lucier [zkr0011] and Morton Feldman [zkr0012] respectively. John Cage’s compositions have been part of zeitkratzer’s repertoire since the very first day. The pieces presented here justify zeitkratzer’s reputation as sound specialists. Avant-garde composer Cage is played in a conservative, precise and sensual way, apart from all philosophical ambitions, and hopefully as seductive as a Schubert quintet! The “Wire Magazine” acclaimed: zeitkratzer convinced us that Cage‘s music can still live with all its complexities, stripped of the debris of its iconic-ironic status, if we only give ourselves time, space and ears to hear !”
15,00€
In stock
CD
ZEITKRATZER
“performs songs from the albums “Kraftwerk” and “Kraftwerk 2”
Founded in 1997 by Reinhold Friedl, Zeitkratzer have since been creating an impressive catalogue of recordings that embraces 20th century avant-garde composers (Cage, Stockhausen, Lucier) as well as electronic artists (Carsten Nicolai, Terre Thaemlitz) or underground experimentalists like Throbbing Gristle or Column One. In their 20th anniversary year, the critically acclaimed ensemble will release a series of diverse albums that will explore new grounds in the typical, adventurous zeitkratzer way – the first of these albums is dedicated to Kraftwerk and their early, kraut-esque albums “Kraftwerk” and “Kraftwerk 2”. As Kraftwerk never re-released these albums, Zeitkratzer gave its best to cover the first tranche of the songs (second tranche to come…).
Recorded in Marseille, France in May 2016, the six tracks reveal a bucolic and even psychedelic aspect of the ensemble that’s mostly known (or feared) for its interpretatory and aesthetic acerbity. And yet there’s no doubt that “Songs From The Albums “Kraftwerk“ And “Kraftwerk 2“ turned out a true Zeitkratzer recording in the best and full meaning!
Zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl with Frank Gratkowski, flute, clarinets, Elena Kakaliagou, French horn, Hilary Jeffer, trombone, Reinhold Friedl harmonium, piano, Didier Ascour, guitar, Maurice de Martin, drums, Lisa Marie Landgraf, violin, Burkhard Schlothauer, violin, Elisabeth Coudoux, violoncello, Ulrich Phillipp, double bass.
Recorded and mixed by Martin Wurmnest. Mastered by Mike Grinser at D&M, Berlin.
15,00€
In stock
CD
ZEITKRATZER
“Grand orchestra”
Grand Orchestra, for mixed orchestra and bagpipes. Composed and directed by Reinhold Friedl. Performed by zeitkratzer & guest at Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, August 21, 2011. “The score for Grand Orchestra has been developed for musicians, laymen, old people, children, adolescents, for anyone who likes to join in. Grand Orchestra is not for education. It’s not about explaining, intellectual understanding or the training of cultural values; rather it’s about having faith in the abilities and intuition of the players and their performance. The musicians of zeitkratzer and additional guests took over the voice-leading of the instrumental groups, distributed in the space and enabling their amplification. In this way it was possible to create not only pure intensity but also dense and complex sound aggregates, through the blurring of playing techniques inside the different instrumental groups. Which orchestra is capable of playing such complex sounds as this group of forty wind players, chorally building a simultaneous crescendo of breaths? Who can play more ecstatically and wilder than a group of sixty musicians, playing against and doing their best to keep up with a Scottish bagpipe ensemble? It’s precisely due to unclearly played single sounds, unfolding from an orchestra dominated by amateurs. Unique sounds with a complex character that no professional orchestra could reproduce.” - Reinhold Friedl, from the liner notes. zeitkratzer is sound made visible, tangible, bodily - a truly unforgettable corporal experience of live music. The physicality of sound is celebrated through extended instrumental techniques, mutual understanding and amplification of traditional instruments. A midpoint between instrumental and electronic music turns out to be more bizarre and surprising than either of these. It will make you expect more from music than you did before! zeitkratzer is a soloist ensemble. Its strength comes from its members. Founded in 1999, it gathers nine musicians, light and sound engineers living in different European cities from Amsterdam to London to Oslo meeting for working phases in Berlin. zeitkratzer have performed critically acclaimed versions of classical music by composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Helmut Lachenmann and James Tenney, as well as orchestral versions of electronic/noise music by Whitehouse, Merzbow, John Duncan, Dror Feiler and Lou Reed’s ’Metal Machine Music’.
13,00€