Out of stock
4 CD + book
COMPILATION
OPIKA PENDE : AFRICA AT 78RPM
Compiled and edited by Jonathan Ward. 112 page book with 4 CDs. Dozens of full-color images from the era. The CDs feature 100 never-before-reissued recordings from the 1920s-1960s. “It is truly astonishing to consider the tremendous variety of music that was pressed to shellac discs on the continent of Africa. Popular songs, topical songs, work songs, comic songs, songs of worship, ritual, dance, and praise-the sheer range of musical styles resists any easy categorization. Further, African geography itself resists boundaries. The boundaries of cultures and languages are often far more complex than political boundaries. Complicating things further, entire countries seem to have been skipped over by both commercial 78 rpm record companies and ethnographers during the 78 rpm era. No doubt it was the same with many cultures. But that doesn’t mean that 78s weren’t everywhere, even in remote parts of the continent. By the mid-1960s, 78s were still a popular if not preferred medium in much of Africa, as a significant amount of the population still used wind-up gramophone players. I have created this compilation with one simple goal in mind: to showcase a diverse amount of long-forgotten music from Africa that transports me as a listener. It is one person’s offering of music that is wholly unavailable except in its original elusive and fragile format. While it is not definitive, nor am I attempting to construct or invent a narrative, there are important connections to be made. Around one musical corner is another corner, and another. Within these 100 tracks, traditional music stands side by side with popular music as traditional culture coexists with so-called modernity. As a non-African, I offer this set as an example of the riches that lay in waiting when considering the tens of thousands of phenomenal African 78 rpm discs that were issued, played, dispersed, and in large part, forgotten.” “Opika Pende,” is a saying in the Lingala language that means “be strong” or “stand firm.” It can also mean “resist.” Jonathan Ward, 2011
52,00€
Out of stock
4 CD + book
Walter MARCHETTI
“De musica inversa”
“alga marghen very proudly presents the only authorized reissue of all Walter Marchetti original recordings previously released by Cramps Records. An LP sized 4CD box set including “La caccia”, “In terram utopicam”, “Per la sete dell’orecchio”, “Natura morta” and “Vandalia”. Also included is the new book by Walter Marchetti titled “De musica inversa”, an instruction manual of both theory and practice for the proper and improper use of music. A method for perfecting oneself in composition annotated and commented upon by Gabriele Bonomo.
“The most amazing thing about music is its exterior aspect. High, vertical, translucent, almost turgid, maybe a bit too monolithic. One should, in any case, give a lot of attention to the large number of interstices which lead to the centre of the ear, wherefrom sounds spread out through a dense network leading to more circuits which direct these same and their relationships directly to the brain, in a logic of musical articulation which is nothing less than frightening. Even if, to attentive listening, dominating all is the eye of silence”.
CD1, titled “La caccia”, includes “La caccia” (1965), “Adversus” (Home-made electric music) (1966) and “Osmanthus fragrans” (Home-made electric music) (1973). The 16 page booklet presents the orginal scores, photos of both the 1965 ZAJ performances and of Marchetti recording “La caccia” in the 1970s, photos of the concert at Galleria Multhipla in 1974, and the reproduction of the original “La caccia” LP layout.
CD2, titled “In terram utopican”, includes “J’aimerais jouer avec un piano qui aurait une grosse queue” (1974/75) and “Per la sete dell’orecchio” (1981). The 16 page booklet presents the original score of “J’aimerais jouer”, photos of the performances in Milano and at the Venice Biennale, and the reproduction of the original “In terram utopicam” LP layout.
CD3, titled “Natura Morta”, includes the piece with the same title from 1980. The 8 page booklet reproduces original photos of the performance at Milanopoesia in 1988, as well as the text titled “In my music”.
CD4, titled “Vandalia”, includes “Perpetuum mobile” (1981), “Song for John Cage” (1985) and “Le secche del delirio” (1989). The 8 page booklet presents the photo of the “Perpetuum mobile” performance at Musicalia in 1981, the score of “Song for John Cage”, the photos of two “Musica da camera” installations, as well as the reproduction of the original “Vandalia” CD layout.
The 180 page “De musica inversa” book and all the texts included in the CD booklets are published in both English and Italian. “Too true: in all music there are, in effect, a lot of sounds henceforth... more than that, too many; everything that we listen to has become heavy beyond measure, completely unbearable. Rather than chasing it we should look for how to escape from music. Everything in it is monolithic, frozen, and the notes of music which slowly, more or less, are thickening around the listeners wrap them all in dripping blankets of death.” CD edition limited to 400 copies.” label info
“The most amazing thing about music is its exterior aspect. High, vertical, translucent, almost turgid, maybe a bit too monolithic. One should, in any case, give a lot of attention to the large number of interstices which lead to the centre of the ear, wherefrom sounds spread out through a dense network leading to more circuits which direct these same and their relationships directly to the brain, in a logic of musical articulation which is nothing less than frightening. Even if, to attentive listening, dominating all is the eye of silence”.
CD1, titled “La caccia”, includes “La caccia” (1965), “Adversus” (Home-made electric music) (1966) and “Osmanthus fragrans” (Home-made electric music) (1973). The 16 page booklet presents the orginal scores, photos of both the 1965 ZAJ performances and of Marchetti recording “La caccia” in the 1970s, photos of the concert at Galleria Multhipla in 1974, and the reproduction of the original “La caccia” LP layout.
CD2, titled “In terram utopican”, includes “J’aimerais jouer avec un piano qui aurait une grosse queue” (1974/75) and “Per la sete dell’orecchio” (1981). The 16 page booklet presents the original score of “J’aimerais jouer”, photos of the performances in Milano and at the Venice Biennale, and the reproduction of the original “In terram utopicam” LP layout.
CD3, titled “Natura Morta”, includes the piece with the same title from 1980. The 8 page booklet reproduces original photos of the performance at Milanopoesia in 1988, as well as the text titled “In my music”.
CD4, titled “Vandalia”, includes “Perpetuum mobile” (1981), “Song for John Cage” (1985) and “Le secche del delirio” (1989). The 8 page booklet presents the photo of the “Perpetuum mobile” performance at Musicalia in 1981, the score of “Song for John Cage”, the photos of two “Musica da camera” installations, as well as the reproduction of the original “Vandalia” CD layout.
The 180 page “De musica inversa” book and all the texts included in the CD booklets are published in both English and Italian. “Too true: in all music there are, in effect, a lot of sounds henceforth... more than that, too many; everything that we listen to has become heavy beyond measure, completely unbearable. Rather than chasing it we should look for how to escape from music. Everything in it is monolithic, frozen, and the notes of music which slowly, more or less, are thickening around the listeners wrap them all in dripping blankets of death.” CD edition limited to 400 copies.” label info
80,00€