Tenney: Melody, Ergodicity and Indeterminacy

Tenney: Melody, Ergodicity and Indeterminacy
The Barton Workshop - James Fulkerson
Mode Records 185 [CD]

Contents:

  1. Poem (1955)
  2. Ergodos I (1963)
  3. Monody (1959)
  4. Ergodos II (1964)
  5. Seegersong #1 (1999)
  6. String Complement with Ergodos II (1964)
  7. Seegersong #2 (1999)
  8. Instrumental Responses with Ergodos I (1964)
  9. Ergodos III (1994)
  10. Percussion Response with Ergodos I (1964)

Performers: Charles van Tassel (baritone), Jos Zwaanenburg (flute), John Anderson (bass clarinet), Krijn van Arnhem (bassoon), James Fulkerson (trombone), Jacob Plooij (violin), Manuel Visser (viola), Nina Hitz (cello), Stefan Pliquett (contrabass), Tobias Liebezeit (percussion), Nora Mulder (piano), Frank Denyer (piano)

Playing time: 80'

Recording dates: January & February 2007 (Amsterdam); released: 2007

This program highlights Tenney's Ergodos pieces, the first two of which are electronic, along with some of his melodic solo (here, wind) pieces. The latter is actually some of his most intriguing work, although not as immediately striking as his pieces using vertical tuning effects.

This listing is actually for Ergodos III, however, for two pianos — so that's neither electronic nor monophonic. In this performance, the performers (Denyer & Mulder) attempt to follow the notated pitches as closely as possible (which is left, to some degree, to the performers' discretion by the score).

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Todd M. McComb