mz001 – manuel zurria – loops4ever
music by Alvin Lucier, William Basinski, John Duncan, Terry Riley, Pauline Oliveiros, Giancinto Scelsi among others…
(2CD, 3 panels carton packaging with 12p booklet) – 20.00€
(digital version available at bandcamp) – 10.00€
Press Release:
“[…] Foremost in my mind was the idea of being able to manipulate some compositions for flute, that were not original or were “extremely free ” in their conception, personalizing them to the extreme with the use of multitrace or electronics. Only a work conceived in this way has led me to reflect on this music from its inside, introjecting the point of observation in order to discover a new projection of the sound. In a certain sense the two discs represent the two ends of the repetitive element, Loops4ever is as valid as its homologous and antithetic Drones4ever.[…]” M.Z.
The restless experimentation and creativity of Manuel has resulted in a brilliant series of collaborative works with legendary composers such as Luc Ferrari, Alvin Lucier, Arvo Part, John Cage, Morton Feldman, László Sáry, Louis Andriessen, Gavin Bryars, Stefano Scodanibbio, Salvatore Sciarrino and Jonathan Harvey. He was invited to many international festival and he recorded for RAI, Dutch radio, Radio France e SudWestfunk Baden-Baden and for Capstone Records, EdiPan, Stradivarius, Die Schachtel, Megadisc and Touch.
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tracklist
CD1 – 74’49”
1 Giacinto Scelsi CASADISCELSI – Maknongan (1976) for bass flute; Pwyll (1954) for flute,
with sounds recorded in Giacinto Scelsi’s house in Rome (11’52”)
2 Pauline Oliveros PORTRAIT (1993)
version for flutes, voice, electronics (10’22”)
3 Alvin Lucier ALMOST NEW YORK (2003)
for 5 flutes and pure wave oscillators (24’17”)
4 Alvin Curran MADONNA AND CHILD (1968-2009)
from Music for every occasion, version for bass flutes, sonic tubes and electronics (10’55”)
5 John Duncan THE CARNIVAL (2009)
for piccolo, laptop, loops station, electronics – John Duncan, laptop (17’05”)
CD2 – 75’13”
1 Jacob TV THE GARDEN OF LOVE (2003)
for flute and boombox (7’16”)
2 Eve Beglarian I WILL NOT BE SAD IN THIS WORLD (2009)
for bass flute and tape (6’30”)
3 Jacob TV LIPSTICK (1997)
for flute and boombox (9’43”)
4 Clarence Barlow …UNTIL… (1981)
version #8 for piccolo and drone (8’18”)
5 William Basinski VARIATION#6: A MOVEMENT IN CHROME PRIMITIVE (2010)
version for flutes, temple bells and delays (12’09”)
6 Frederic Rzewski LAST JUDGMENT (1968-2009)
version for bass flutes and electronics (9’06”)
7 Terry Riley DORIAN REEDS (1964)
version for flute and delays (21’45”)
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“THE WIRE #330 / AUGUST 2011”
[…Zurria] manipulates works by Alvin Lucier, Alvin Curran, Pauline Oliveros, Jacob TV, John Duncan, Frederic Rzewski, William Basinski, Terry Rilet and Giancinto Scelsi among others. Free in their conception, Zurria personalises them “to the extreme with the use of multitrack and electronics”. The results explore the aesthetics of the loop and its antithesis, the drone, in a totally persuasive development of his 2008 Die Schechtel release, Repeat!. Realised from some relatively well known Scelsi pieces, “Casadiscelsi” provides the clearest illustration of Zurria’s approach. It sets Pwyll (1954) and the flute version of Maknongan (1976) in a “carpet” of sounds in Sclesi’s house, especially those of objects close to te composer. These include an ‘electrical graft’ of the old ondiolas on which Scelsi created his later improvisation, noises from the road outside, and heavily treated voices from within the house. The result is a highly personalised though oblique aural protrait of a maverick master. […] a very beatiful release from a player whose musicianship is palpably honest, heartfelt and open. (Andy Hamilton)
“VITAL WEEKLY 776”
MANUEL ZURRIA – LOOPS4EVER (2CD by Mazagran)
A new label, started by Riccardo Dillon Wanke, hailing from Portugal, and his first release is a double CD with nearly 150 minutes of music by flute and electronica player Manuel Zurria. […] A fine mixture of composers, both old (Giancinto Scelsi, Alvin Lucier, Pauline Oliveros, Alvin Curran, Clarence Barlow, Frederic Rzewski and Terry Riley) and new (Jacob TV – perhaps the least known here, but nice to see a fellow Dutch man here – , Eve Beglarian, William Basinski and John Duncan), whereas the latter two are not generally known as composers of notated pieces of music. The booklet has interesting explanations about the pieces and some interviews with the composers. Zurria’s electronics are various loop stations, which he can use to overlay his own playing. There is a variety of musical point here although the main point is minimal music. Sometimes a bit hectic such as in ‘…Until…’ from Barlow, or the dreamy flutes of the Basinski piece, the deep bass flutes of Rzewski. […] Its an excellent set of music, which is perhaps a bit long to grasp all at once. (FdW)
“BLOG_Mr. Delire 05/2011 (FR)”
LOOPS4EVER (Mazagran)
Manuel Zurria is a Roman flutist. On this double CD set (150 minutes of music), he presents a recital of works for flutes and electronics
from the past 60 years. Scelsi, Oliveros, Lucier, Curran, Riley, Barlow and Rzewski, plus Eve Beglarian, John Duncan, William Basinski
and Jacob TV. The loops is heavily featured, but not solely. And Zurria makes his each work, and developed his interpretation from
conversations with (most of) the composers. LOOPS4EVER covers a large spectrum ranging from the cut-up voices mixed in Jacob TV’s pieces to the luscious meditative loops in Riley’s “Dorian Reeds”, down to the minimalistic yet demanding concepts of Lucier (“Almost New York,” a version of which was recently released on Pogus) and Duncan (the only composer playing with Zurria). Two strong records housed in a very pretty sleeve and accompanied by a booklet featuring interviews with the composers. These works do not showcase the flutist’s playing (the scores call for a lot of discretion and endurance), but LOOPS4EVER offers a cativating panorama of contemporary music for flute and tape.” http://blog.monsieurdelire.com/2011/05/2011-05-17-manuel-zurria-pinhasmerzbow.html
