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BRANCA, GLENN - Indeterminate Activity of Resultant Masses

Format: CD Label & Cat.Number: Atavistic ALP046cd Release Year: 2007 Note: early & almost unknown BRANCA-piece (rec. after the "Ascension" 12", in 1981), plus one unreleased piece from 1989 and a "anti-Branca-Interview" by JOHN CAGE with WIM MERTENS! Price (incl. 19% VAT): €14.50 More Info "Worum sich schon lange Gerüchte rankten, was schon lange erwartet wurde, wird jetzt als "Indeterminate Activity" quasi zum ersten Mal veröffentlicht. Das Meisterwerk von GLENN BRANCA wurde in der frühen Phase des "Guitar Army"-Ensembles - kurz nach dem Release der "The Ascension"-EP - in den New Yorker Radio City Studios aufgenommen. Neben Beiträgen von Thurston Moore und Lee Ranaldo von SONIC YOUTH gibt es mehr von regelmäßigen BRANCA Kollaborateuren wie Craig Bromberg, Barbara Ess, Jeffrey Glenn, Sue Hanel, David Rosenbloom und Ned Sublette, sowie zwei weitere Stücke: das Anti-BRANCA Interview von John Cage mit Wim Mertens, dass 1982 auf der Navy Pier in Chicago aufgenommen wurde und eine bisher unveröffentlichte Komposition "Harmonic Series Chords", eingespielt von der New Yorker Chamber Sinfonia 1989. "Indeterminate Activity" ist das ultimative Bindeglied in jeder Sammlung von GLENN BRANCA Werken." [press release Cargo] " .... The title piece here, performed in 1981 with 10 guitars and drums and timpani is one of the most impressive Branca pieces we have ever heard. Its inescapable tension wraps itself around your ears and while you feel it's grasp taking a hold of you, you don't really ever want it to end. With young devotees like Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore in the ensemble it's no wonder the piece sounds so perfect and received the long standing ovation it so deserved. But one man in attendance of this performance was not impressed. In fact he had lots to say about it, and nothing positive. That wouldn't be that big of a deal of course if that person wasn't John Cage!! In a clever twist of their long running rivalry and Cage's very public dismissal of Branca's work, Branca decided to follow the title piece on this reissue with a conversation that John Cage had with Wim Mertons about Branca's piece. In the conversation Cage speaks very eloquently as he always did, about his dislike for Branca's piece and his work in general. He goes as far to call the piece fascist, which then led to a very public and bitter tiff between two legends of forward thinking 20th century music. We have to admit that sometimes we actually like hearing Cage talk even more then we like listening to his music. As the rhythm of his voice and the depth of his intelligence is so damn pleasing to take in. While we wish Wim Mertons would have done a better job of defending Branca, we can't blame him for being a bit tongue tied and slow in the face of Cage's eloquent understated fury. We can imagine that if we ever had the opportunity to have a serious exchange of views about music with Cage we probably would have been crazy nervous and marble mouthed. The record ends with a late 80's piece by Branca called Harmonic Series Chords which is a really nice somber piece performed by the New York Chamber Sinfonia. Like two heavyweight champions exchanging blows we feel lucky to get to sit on the sidelines as Cage disses Branca, and Branca's music speaks so loudly for itself. Highly recommended!" [Aquarius Records]