Weather

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Weather transcends the boundaries of both classical and pop music. It is an onslaught of sound, tuneful, rhythmic and raw. Michael Gordon’s music embraces elements of dissonance, rigorous minimalism, modality and popular culture in a bold and direct sound. The Wire calls Weather “satisfyingly direct and immediate, as exhilarating and refreshing as the storm it accurately depicts.”

Description

“Michael Gordon is at the forefront of his generation," said Steve Reich in 1998. "His conflicting simultaneous rhythms create a powerful and highly energized music. Yo Shakespeare is one of the most innovative and exciting works written in the nineties. Weather is altogether different. Its darker and still more developed harmonic language, together with samples of sirens, thunder and other sounds, produces a mysterious, contemplative and inward music. Stay tuned.”

The New York composer Michael Gordon, perhaps best known as one of the founders and artistic directors of the Bang on a Can Festival, wrote Weather in 1997 for the Frankfurt-based Ensemble Resonanz, a 16-piece string orchestra of young musicians. Originally conceived as a video opera for a “vertical orchestra,” Gordon collaborated with New York filmmaker Elliot Caplan, with whom he has worked since their 1991 collaboration Van Gogh Video Opera.

Weather was first performed live in Germany in 1997, with the members of Ensemble Resonanz stacked vertically on scaffolding and surrounded by video loops and graphics. The piece was performed throughout Europe and was recorded in Cologne at the end of the tour. The creative team of Gordon, producer Gregg Jackman and programmer Henry Jackman then added samples and drumbeats, processed the strings, and distorted the sound of Weather Two, making it more upfront and abrasive.

In the end Weather transcends the boundaries of both classical and pop music. It is an onslaught of sound, tuneful, rhythmic and raw. Michael Gordon’s music embraces elements of dissonance, rigorous minimalism, modality and popular culture in a bold and direct sound. The Wire calls Weather “satisfyingly direct and immediate, as exhilarating and refreshing as the storm it accurately depicts.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Gregg Jackson
Recorded December 1997 at Sound Studio N, Cologne, Germany
Engineer: Günther Kasper
Mixed January 1998 at Sarm West Studios, London, England

Design by Barbara deWilde
Photographs by Sam Harris

Nonesuch Selection Number

79553

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
50
ns_album_id
158
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
Michael Gordon
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Evan Ziporyn, conductor
Ensemble Resonanz:
Sybylle Wolf (solo on 2), Gregor Dierck, Inken Renner, Swantje Tessman, Livia Schwartz, Tobias Rempe, Thomas Glöckner, Christine Krapp, Benjamin Bergmann, violin
Nikolaus Schlierf, Anne Krömmelbein, Davd Schlage, viola
Ulrike Hardick, Patrick Cybinski, Christoph Corazolla, cello
Anne Hofmann, bass
with
Henry Jackman, rhythm programming and sound design

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
Price
0.00
UPC
075597955323BUN
Label
MP3
Price
10.00
UPC
603497123469
  • 79553

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  • About This Album

    “Michael Gordon is at the forefront of his generation," said Steve Reich in 1998. "His conflicting simultaneous rhythms create a powerful and highly energized music. Yo Shakespeare is one of the most innovative and exciting works written in the nineties. Weather is altogether different. Its darker and still more developed harmonic language, together with samples of sirens, thunder and other sounds, produces a mysterious, contemplative and inward music. Stay tuned.”

    The New York composer Michael Gordon, perhaps best known as one of the founders and artistic directors of the Bang on a Can Festival, wrote Weather in 1997 for the Frankfurt-based Ensemble Resonanz, a 16-piece string orchestra of young musicians. Originally conceived as a video opera for a “vertical orchestra,” Gordon collaborated with New York filmmaker Elliot Caplan, with whom he has worked since their 1991 collaboration Van Gogh Video Opera.

    Weather was first performed live in Germany in 1997, with the members of Ensemble Resonanz stacked vertically on scaffolding and surrounded by video loops and graphics. The piece was performed throughout Europe and was recorded in Cologne at the end of the tour. The creative team of Gordon, producer Gregg Jackman and programmer Henry Jackman then added samples and drumbeats, processed the strings, and distorted the sound of Weather Two, making it more upfront and abrasive.

    In the end Weather transcends the boundaries of both classical and pop music. It is an onslaught of sound, tuneful, rhythmic and raw. Michael Gordon’s music embraces elements of dissonance, rigorous minimalism, modality and popular culture in a bold and direct sound. The Wire calls Weather “satisfyingly direct and immediate, as exhilarating and refreshing as the storm it accurately depicts.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Evan Ziporyn, conductor
    Ensemble Resonanz:
    Sybylle Wolf (solo on 2), Gregor Dierck, Inken Renner, Swantje Tessman, Livia Schwartz, Tobias Rempe, Thomas Glöckner, Christine Krapp, Benjamin Bergmann, violin
    Nikolaus Schlierf, Anne Krömmelbein, Davd Schlage, viola
    Ulrike Hardick, Patrick Cybinski, Christoph Corazolla, cello
    Anne Hofmann, bass
    with
    Henry Jackman, rhythm programming and sound design

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Gregg Jackson
    Recorded December 1997 at Sound Studio N, Cologne, Germany
    Engineer: Günther Kasper
    Mixed January 1998 at Sarm West Studios, London, England

    Design by Barbara deWilde
    Photographs by Sam Harris