Music `no longer note-bound'

(ArtMetropole, 2023)

When I first caught wind of this project I was immediately intrigued. Before I heard a note, what initially grabbed my attention was the stunning packaging. This project is lovingly presented by Toronto publisher ArtMetropole in a double-vinyl pressing with “a lavish 64-page risograph/ digitally-printed book containing new and unpublished texts, a flexidisc and more.”

I recommend reading through the book and notes before listening as they provide a deeper understanding of what you are about to experience.

The Sound of Awakening is a newly-commissioned sound poem by IONE (artist, author and Oliveros' spouse) recorded in their home in 2021, and presented on side A of the vinyl. It has been described as “part meditation, part dream, the fifty-one lines of text and silences evoke the passage of time between 1970-2021.” Reading along with the poem enriches the sonic journey. What immediately jumps out is the silence. As IONE reads the poem, there are long silences between lines and those moments of silence create an intense listening experience. I found myself listening so carefully that I was annoyed by the ticking of my wall clock, or the noise of a car passing my window. I craved the silence so intensely that I listened again with large noise-cancelling headphones. Each extended silence became an opportunity to reflect on the previous line of poetry.

The centrepiece of this set is a new recording of “To Valerie Solanas and Marilyn Monroe in Recognition of Their Desperation,” a long, large-ensemble work by revered and innovative American composer Pauline Oliveros performed in Toronto City Hall's council chambers.

The piece was mounted in 2019 by interdisciplinary collective Public Recordings under the direction of artist Christopher Willes. The eclectic ensemble performing the work includes players such as Allison Cameron (as heard on Another Timbre), Anne Bourne (a longtime collaborator of Oliveros), Anni Spadafora (of New Fries), celebrated percussionist Germaine Liu, Thom Gill (Bernice, The Titillators, Fievel is Glaque, Chaka Khan etc.), and Victoria Cheong (aka New Chance).

The three parts of this composition are presented on sides B/C/D of the vinyl, and last about 15 minutes each. The music was composed in an “open score” format which can be performed in various instrumentations and with different options for duration. The form is “in three parts, each one signaled by a different colour of light that continuously bathes the entire event space (audience and performers).”

This experimental approach to musical composition gives the performers the opportunity (and responsibility) to interpret the work as they play. Listening to the other players is critical and Oliveros gives specific notes in the score. “Each performer should try to influence the overall timbre of the piece, for the most part blending rather than dominating. If a (individual) player is too loud it is the responsibility of the ensemble to raise the general dynamic level.” The layering of lone tones is compelling throughout and the overall effect is a combination of unsettling and intriguing.

As the piece was originally composed in response to the anxiety and political unrest of 1968 in America, this instruction to collaborate and co-operate is particularly poignant. The performance on record here was completed in Toronto City Hall's council chambers during a more recent time of political tension in the city of Toronto. Redrawn ward boundaries and reduced council membership were imposed by the conservative provincial government in 2019 and many Toronto residents were upset by the changes.

There is also an intriguing FlexiDisc recording with a listening score by Christopher Willes. For those who aren't familiar with FlexiDisc, it is a flexible record similar to the ones that used to be included in magazines many years ago. The sounds captured here can be used as loops by placing stickers on the disc. These loops are potential starting points to begin your own compositions.

One of the unpublished Oliveros writings that caused me to pause and reflect was an idea that directly challenged a definition I have used in my music classroom for 25 years. Ethnomusicologist John Blacking defined music as “humanly organized sound” but Oliveros poses the following point of discussion: “The definition of music as organized sound seems limited. The definition accounts only for the object, music, but not for the context.” She goes on to suggest that music is deeply affected by things like tradition, values, innovation and emotion and she embraces a new system that is “no longer note-bound.” This is deeply thought-provoking if you take the time to consider it.

Get your hands on a copy from this limited pressing of only 500 units. I'm proud to have it in my collection. (Also available on BandCamp.com and Juno.co.uk) Half of all proceeds from Resonance Gathering will be donated to The Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto.