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Welcome to Artifact Music, the home of "one of North America's more astonishing founts of new music"(Village Voice). This is a unique catalogue of new music that transcends boundaries and defies categories. We invite you to browse through our catalog, hear the music and clear your ears. |
Among the performers here you'll find : ARRAYMUSIC, where it all started; the Evergreen Club Gamelan, building bridges across uncharted territory; and John Oswald and the Grateful Dead, reaching out from the great beyond. Our recordings include premieres and state of the art versions of works by Terry Riley, Udo Kasemets, Kurt Schwitters, Linda Smith, James Tenney, Julia Wolfe, Claude Vivier, John Cage and a host of others.
The complete catalogue follows news about our recent releases and you can order at any time by filling in our order form.
NEW AUDIO FORMATS : starting with our latest release you can now hear complete performances and excerpts in RealAudio or MP3. And we'll be uploading more high-quality audio excerpts as the weeks go by. So keep coming back for more new sounds.
RECENT RELEASES
From the dean of West-coast composers, first recordings of 5 pieces spanning 1986 to 2003. "Komorous is a composer of international significance".
Release date May 16 2004.
Five major works from this emerging composer who has found his own path to express traditional Chinese music through contemporary western forms.
Release date June , 2004.
Hatch 'remixes' some standard repertoire, from Vivaldi to Hendrix, transforming and distilling these works through present-tense filters. Fine performances by The Penderecki Quartet , Cynthia Hiebert and the Canadian Chamber Ensemble.
Release date MAY 10, 2003.
The disc that started it all. Took the art of musical quotation and transformation to a new level. Sixty tracks on 2-CD's. Accompanied by a sumptuously detailed book. This should be a part of any new music collection. Specially priced.
The Club's fourth CD features Burhan Sukarma, master of the suling, in a program that includes both traditional Sundanese repertoire as well as new work which capitalises on the cross-over nature of this unique ensemble.
ARRAYMUSIC'S Fifth CD is a snapshot of the state of the art. Twenty-five composers have created works of one to five minues duration that showcase the versatility of the ensemble and the breadth of new musical expression.
CATALOGUE
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Richard Sacks
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1. The Waldo 1998 – Michael J. Baker 11:40 2. Maximusic 1965 – James Tenney 6:13 3. Verses for Vibraphone 1997 – Barbara Monk Feldman 5:13 4. Ten Planets 2006 – Rick Sacks 10:00 5. Apollo’s Touch 1992 – Rodney Sharman 17:30 6. Glockenspiel 2006 – Barbara Monk Feldman 2:30 7. The Waldo (with electronics) 1998 – Michael J. Baker 11:42 |
| Listen to: Ten Planets: | |
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Rudolf Komorous
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1 STRANGE SPHERE (2003) 4:56
2 RITRATTO DI LAURA BATTIFERRI (1989) 11:02 3 THE SEVEN SIDES OF MAXINE’S SILVER DIE (1997-98) 11:43 4 TANGO (1985-86) 9:15 5 LURID BRIDE (1999) 31:02 1.2.4.5. performed by TURNING POINT ENSEMBLE ( O.Underhill, cond.) 3. performed by NEW MUSIC CONCERTS ENSEMBLE (R. Aitken cond/ E.Egoyan, pno solo) |
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emotional language of the music is readily apparent and on the surface. And yet, the unpredictable juxtapositions of events, the turns of phrase, the surprising chords, and the unusual sounds delineate a landscape which encompasses a wide range of feelings and sensitivities. Each piece exists as an original self-contained artifact in which are embedded associations and references drawn from visual imagery, people, events, or cultural practices from another time and place. The music is a product of its own time, while being timeless in its extensions to other worlds, whether historical or imaginary." (O.Underhill) |
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Rui-Shi Zhuo
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Peter Hatch
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Gathered Evidence performed by : The Penderecki Quartet Il Cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione performed by :The Penderecki Quartet and Canadian Chamber Ensemble |
“His delight in the very stuff of music, the pleasure he finds, and wants us to share, in listening to sounds rubbing together, or stretching out, or bouncing off one another... Hatch’s art expression lies not in the the formation of the bon mot but in the twisting and turning of gathered evidence.” -Christopher Fox, composer “Evocative and elemental...” Colleen Johnston, Kitchener-Waterloo Record |
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| HEAR extended soundbites (MP3) | 1 "With a Hey, Ho, Jimi's Joe" (Vernacular Way #6) |
| 2 "Il Cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione" | |
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| also by Peter Hatch: | NUMUS: Mildred’s Thoughts (ART-011) Music by Peter Hatch, texts by Gertrude Stein |
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John Oswald
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The first 12 tracks on the track list. Complete set includes 60 tracks on 2 CD's with a 46-page book. (Hint: read the blue print.) |
| "I think Oswald is a great composer. He has maintained a stance as artist provacateur which is unrivaled in the world of music and audio art."&Mac220; Charles Amirkhanian, KPFA Berkeley
"Plunderphonics is recreational savagery... A consistently brilliant record."&Mac220; David Toop, London Times Great, great stuff...Wildly humorous...Astonishing virtuosity...Among the most 'original' sounding work I've ever heard&Mac220; I know of nothing else like it."&Mac220; Lloyd Dunn, Photostatic |
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| HEAR:
"z24 - Sushi Dart Scar" (dur. 1:53 ) |
z24.mp3
(1.3 mb) |
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Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan
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JERUK BALI (unknown Sundanese)
ANJEUN PULO GANTI GAMELAN SOLO (Mark Duggan) SAMAGAHA (Burhan Sukarma) RENGGA-RENGGI (Burhan Sukarma) SORBAN PALID The Evergreen Club performs with special guest, the suling virtuoso Burhan Sukarma. |
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" music that is at once lovely and atmospheric, but with a vitality driven by the intricate interlocking parts and mesmerizing time cycles"
The Globe & Mail, Toronto |
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Linda Catlin Smith
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Among the Tarnished Stars performed by : The Burdocks Through the Low Hills performed by :Andrew Smith, Stephen Clarke Knotted Silk performed by :Arraymusic With Their Shadows Long performed by :Sabat/Clarke Duo Memory Forms performed by : CBC Radio Orchestra Moi Qui Tremblais performed by : Arraymusic All compositions by L.C.Smith |
| "beautiful sonorities" The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 1989 "sensuous, in an understated way" The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 1993 |
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Listen to: MOI QUI TREMBLAIS:
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The Music of Michael J. Baker
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SKYLING performed by : Toronto Dance Theatre ensemble ANIMATED SHORTS performed by : Arraymusic COLUMBUS performed by : Arraymusic IN PARADISUM performed by : L'Ensemble des Grands Ballets Canadiens All compositions by Michael J. Baker |
| "In Paradisum" is a work of dazzling brilliance"- Montreal Star
" A musical life more should know of and celebrate" The Globe & Mail |
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| For more music by Michael Baker see | |
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ARRAYMUSIC
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25 Works by 25 Composers:
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| "This is a welcome anthology of 25 miniatures, culled from over 45 "nibbles" commissioned by Arraymusic -- one of Toronto's leading presenters of new music -- for its 20th and 25th anniversary concerts. None of the pieces exceeds five minutes in length; the composers, most of whom are Canadian, were allowed to use any combination of instruments from Arraymusic's excellent ensemble: clarinet, trumpet, percussion, piano, violin, double bass, keyboard.And it's fascinating to see how much most of the composers packed into a few minutes of music." T. Bernstein, National Post
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Live Electronic Music by Peter Hannan + Henry Kucharzyk
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hiro (ph) venus ascending (hk) raven highway (ph) satisfied (ph) weather (ph) dexter sinister (hk) 7 hours (ph) intersection 1-6 (ph/hk) ph plays wind synth , Buchla Lightning |
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" Phh!k is a total delight to listen to.The recorded sound is beautiful, sheer and pristine. It is easy to lose yourself in these fantasy landscapes. Highly recommended"
The Sunday Herald, Halifax "A sonic journey along a screaming freeway with stops at a 70's style disco, an african festival, a middle eastern bazaar, and a bump and grind palace. So what was it all about? Phh!k beats me...Whatever it was , it gave me a lift, and it made me laugh." |
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| Watch a phh!k perfomance video: THEREMIN/LIGHTNING duet | DEXTER SINISTER (EXCERPT) QUICKTIME |
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| Hear 2 tracks from phh!k | |
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Owen Underhill
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AT THE WINDOW performed by ARRAYMUSIC SONGS WITHOUT WORDS performed by Richard Sacks, Owen Underhill LOVE SONGS performed by musica intima THE CELESTIAL MACHINE performed by Les Coucous Bénévoles HINGE performed by Vancouver New Music Ensemble
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Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan
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John Cage / HAIKAI Gilles Tremblay / L'ARBRE DE BORUBUDUR James Tenney / THE ROAD TO UBUD Evergreen Club / CORTEGE FOR SI PAWIT |
| "the group's delicate approach to creating a new music repertoire is an inspired one. Rhythm and tone colour are given plenty of room to develop their potential, and the overall effect is neither Western nor Eastern. " The Wire
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Lori Freedman (ART - O20 Compact Disc) |
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Lori Freedman / Invitation Lori Freedman / No Man's Clan Freedman, Plimley, Tanguay, Cauley / Quartet
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| ' Freedman has a reputation for musical daring that places her in the front ranks of the musical avant-garde in North America " - Vancouver Sun
" Lori Freedman is the best thing that ever happened to New Music . It is fantastic playing by a fantastic musician ." John Corigliano, composer Invitation excerpt (aiff) 776k |
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New Music for Piano - Eve Egoyan
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Michael Finnissy / STRAUSS-WALZER
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| "These are brilliant and sensational interpretations stupendous, fabulous, magical! The stuff wildest fantasies are made of! " - Michael Finnissy, composer "With grace and intensity in equal measure, Canadian pianist Eve Egoyan seems incapable of an unmellifluous gesture : Five Stars ." OPUS magazine
Strauss-Walzer excerpt (aiff) 627k |
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ARRAYMUSIC (ART - O18 Compact Disc) |
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A List Red Brick Tramps Big Fiddle Train Twins Girl in Mourning Gate of the Deserted Garden One Day All compositions by Michael J. Baker Performed by the ARRAYMUSIC Ensemble with soprano Barbara Hannigan |
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40 Fingers (ART - O17 Compact Disc) |
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40 fingers / pieces
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| " TOP PICK - an outreaching ensemble that weaves together composed and improvised musics in a thoroughly original way. HOUR Magazine (Montréal)
"What made 40 fingers two sets so remarkable was that virtuosity was paired with humour and oddball personality. The quartet easily eclipsed the conventional boundaries of their instruments and had a blast doing it." NOW Magazine, Toronto |
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Hemispheres (ART-016 Compact Disc) |
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Henry Kucharzyk / chrome chaser Wende Bartley / Matrix Christian Wolff / Exercise #2 |
| "Jazz influences from Big Band to Bitches'Brew predominate in some pieces, new music in others; but it's the clash and co-operation between the two that give this group its distinctive aesthetic...and high energy dynamic." Elissa Poole, Globe and Mail
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Christopher Butterfield (ART-015 Compact Disc) |
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Christopher Butterfield / Music for Klein and Beuys Kurt Schwitters / Ursonate Christopher Butterfield / Pillar of Snails |
| "Highly original chamber music by this Canadian composer with snatches of delightful tune-like passages that are somewhat more like melodic gestures, brief responses, bon mots, to the accompaniment of percussion that often sounds like amplified crumpled bags. But it's not "joke music." It's...something else. Butterfield also excellently performs Kurt Schwitter's "Ursonate" (Sonate in Urlauten) on this CD. " Blue Gene Tyranny, All Music Guide
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Les Coucous Benevoles (ART-014 Compact Disc) |
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Linda Catlin Smith / Versailles Jean-Phillippe Rameau / Pieces de Clavecin en Concerts, No. 2 in G Jacques Hotteterre / IV. Sonate en Trio (Book III) in G major / VI. Sonate en Trio in E minor Francois Couperin / Suite in E minor from Les Nations : "La Francoise" Henry Kucharzyk / Rose |
| Les Coucous Benevoles are one of the most unusual period instrument ensembles in the world. They combine the music of the baroque era with 20th C. works for old instruments. The group includes some of Canada's leading performers of early music : flutist Elissa Poole, harpsichordist Colin Tilney, violinists Stephen Marvin and David Greenberg and viola da gambist Sergei Istomin. Recorded at St. John's church, Elora, Ontario.
" Five out of five ." Rick Phillips, CBC Radio Two |
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Peter Hannan (SRI 001 Compact Disc) |
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Peter Hannan / Breakdown Satoh Somei / Kaze no kyoku II Luciano Berio / Gesti Christopher Fox / Winds of Change Parts I & II Peter Hannan / Rsrch 4/83 Peter Hannan / Windows Louis Andriessen / Ende |
| "..the most vigorous work comes from Hannan himself, whose compositions strike a fascinating balance between cultural amnesia and total recall. The title piece... is as relentless as Bolero and a lot more fun." Robert Everett-Green, Toronto Globe & Mail
" Peter Hannan zeigt sich mit seiner CD als erstklassiger Blockfloetist undvielfaeltiger Komponist. Hier wird deutlich, wie abwechslungsreich und spannend moderne Blockfloetenmusik sein kann...Ein kauf, der sich lohnt." Franz Mueller-Busch (GDR) Tibia |
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Evergreen Club Gamelan Ensemble (ART-012 Compact Disc) |
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Lou Harrison / Ibu Trish Mark Duggan / Evocation...gentle rain falling John Wyre / Islands of Silence Jon Siddall / Palace Lou Harrison / Threnody for Carlos Chavez Mark Duggan / Jali's Dream Alain Thibault / Langoisses des machines |
| "The rhythmic cross-hatching of Indonesian music, but in an edgier form, built from tracks laid down in a style familiar from pop music, and crested with ornament from Javanese court music to Prince. " Globe & Mail , Toronto
Palace excerpt (aiff for macs-238k) Palace excerpt (wav for pc-238k) |
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Lonely Universe (RANT-9313 Compact Disc) |
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| Always uncompromisingly searching, the music of Lonely Universe is performed with a fierce dedication to the exploratory spirit of contemporary music. Moody and melodic, savage and distorted, it's music aimed at the head, the solar plexus and all parts in between. The spirit of Lonely Universe... a reckless descent into the maelstrøm.
Jeannette Lambert : voice, Michael White : trumpet, Michel Lambert : drums, Perry White : saxophone, Reg Schwager : guitar, Rob Piltch : guitar, Dianne Aitken : flute, Hugh Marsh : violin . How Could You? excerpt (aiff for macs-248k) How Could You? excerpt (wav 248k) |
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40 fingers saxophone quartet (ART - O13 Compact Disc) |
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40 fingers / Improvisation no.14 Nic Gotham / grace 40 fingers / Improvisation no.13 Nic Gotham / blue quilt 40 fingers / Improvisation no. 7 Peter Lutek / attache case catches cat 40 fingers / Improvisation no.15 40 fingers / Improvisation no.21 pieces David Mott / River of Eyes |
| "an energized, unusual mix of free jazz and original material located somewhere between the Rova, World and 29th Street Sax Quartets while maintaining its distinctive boldness" -Toronto Star
Improvisation no. 7 excerpt (aiff for macs-118k) Improvisation no. 7 excerpt (wav for pc-118k) |
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Peter Hatch (ART-011 Compact Disc) |
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A Chopsticks Fantasy* (1991) Eurhythmy (1985) Blunt Music (1986) And As He (1993)* Reflections on the Atomic Bomb* (1989) * Text by Gertrude Stein all compositions by Peter Hatch |
| Mildred's Thoughts features the music of former NUMUS artistic director Peter Hatch, text from the writings of Gertrude Stein, and performances by various members of the NUMUS extended family. English composer Christopher Fox has written an insightful essay on Hatch and his music. It appears in the booklet that accompanies the CD.
A Chopsticks Fantasy excerpt (aiff for macs-248k) A Chopsticks Fantasy excerpt (wav 248k) |
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Udo Kasemets (ART - O10 Compact Disc) |
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Part One: Astronomics Part Two: Big Bang or Turning the Time Glove Inside out Part Three: Chaosmosis |
| "Kasemets is an artist-prophet with a mission to search for new artistic forms that will help us deal intelligently with the technological revolution." -E.M.C. Chaosmosis : Quarkanon excerpt (aiff for macs-228k) Chaosmosis : Quarkanon excerpt (wav for pc-228k) |
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John Oswald & the Grateful Dead (S/A 1969 2-Compact Discs) |
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Disc One: Transitive Axis Disc Two: Mirror Ashes |
| John Oswald applies his plunderphonic techniques to creating an audio documentary of the legendary "Dark Star", utilising historic concert recordings (1969-1993) from the vaults of the Grateful Dead. "John Oswald is a solo movement, the most exciting school of one in music." The Village Voice Transitive Axis : Pouring Velvet excerpt (aiff for macs-228k) Transitive Axis : Pouring Velvet excerpt (wav for pcs-228k) |
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Hemispheres (ART - OO8 Compact Disc) |
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Peter Hannan / WAM Nic Gotham / Hermit Hand Maarten Altena / Rij Jean Derome / Seven Dances for Fifteen |
| " a classical regard for delicate textures coupled with a spirit of pure instrumental hell-raising that puts a premium on high energy... they boldly blow where few have blown before." - Halifax Mail-Star WAM excerpt (aiff for macs-173k) WAM excerpt (wav for pcs-173k) |
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5th Species (ART -007 Compact Disc) |
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Julia Wolfe / On Seven-Star Shoes David Mott / Inside the Dance of Rain Rudolf Komorous/ Fumon Manga Martin Bresnick /Just Time Wendy Prezament/ Trilling Arthur Jarvinen / Goldbeater's Skin György Ligeti /Ten Pieces |
| " revolutionary or perhaps even subversive... makes you wonder why you don't hear more woodwind music" CBC Radio
On Seven-Star Shoes excerpt (aiff for macs-160k) On Seven-Star Shoes excerpt (wav for pcs-160k) |
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(ART-006 Compact Disc) |
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Terry Riley / Cactus Rosary James Tenney / Three New Seeds Christopher Butterfield / Empress of Russia Stephen Parkinson /Desires are already memories Michael J. Baker / Columbus Rudolf Komorous / Dame's Rocket |
| "Music from Mars gliding effortlessly into Turkish wedding music or a Himalayan blues" Globe & Mail , Toronto
Cactus Rosary excerpt (aiff for macs-396k) Cactus Rosary excerpt (wav for pcs-396k) |
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Music for Dance by Henry Kucharzyk (ART-005 Compact Disc) |
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Henry Kucharzyk /Collisions Henry Kucharzyk / Figure in a Landscape Henry Kucharzyk / Walk the Line |
| "The musical language is variously tonal, modal, at times something just beyond tonality, and never quite conventional. The performance is superb." Option
Figure in A Landscape (mvmnt 9) excerpt (aiff for macs-435k) Figure in A Landscape (mvmnt 9) excerpt (wav for pcs-435k) |
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(ART-004 Compact Disc ) |
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Linda C. Smith / Little Venice Steve Reich / New York Counterpoint José Evangelista / Merapi Rodney Sharman / Dark Glasses Kevin Volans /She who sleeps with a small blanket |
| "This recording ought to establish Arraymusic as a leader in the field of new music performance. " Option
Little Venice excerpt (aiff for macs-900k) Read the full text of the liner notes by the writer/poet Christopher Dewdney. |
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Elissa Poole-baroque flute & Rick Sacks-percussion (ART-003 Compact Disc) |
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Claudio Pompili / Lo Specchio del Fiore Christopher Butterfield / Flamingo Limo John Abram / Aeneid Music V Owen Underhill / Partita Michael J. Baker / Bird in Hand Rudolf Komorous / The Necklace of Clear Understanding |
| "Beautifully performed and produced. Guaranteed to demolish most preconceptions about what can be done with old pipes. " the Globe & Mail, Toronto
Flamingo Limo excerpt (aiff for macs-194k) Flamingo Limo excerpt (wav for pcs-194k) |
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(ART-002 Compact Disc ) |
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Claude Vivier/Et je reverrai cette ville étrange James Tenney /Harmonium #5 Henry Kucharzyk /Beating Michael J. Baker /unfinished business |
| "Arraymusic is one of North America's more astonishing founts of new music."Village Voice
Et je reverrai cette ville étrange excerpt (aiff for macs-281k) Et je reverrai cette ville étrange excerpt (wav for pcs-281k) |
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