I can think of no instrument capable of drones as complex, distinct, orprimitive as those generated by the pipe organ. The experience ofsitting below a great organ's clustered form, letting its breath washthe length of a cathedral, can be compared to viewing one ofRembrandt's late self-portraits, watching as each square-centimeterteems with an infinity of golden life, an inner millennium findingperfect equivalent in the sustained blast of an organ note. As if itstextural prowess and sacred acoustics were not enough, the organrepresents also a milestone in the mechanization of musicalinstruments, making it a prime target for this kind of tribute, avirtual who's-who of Touch's roster, some of the most recognizablenames in electro-acoustic music, all willing to shed their respectiveskins and make some music created with, or inspired by, organ sounds.Thankfully, most everyone included manages to come at the pipes in athoughtful and largely unique way, making Spirean endlessly interesting, if not always enjoyable compilation. Therange of different approaches, which in many cases depart significantlyfrom their composers' tested styles, proves both a blessing and acurse, where the sequencing of the two discs inevitably interferes withthe enjoyment of the individual tracks. Many interesting pieces seem toend prematurely or appear dwarfed by the enormity or lavishness oftheir surroundings. The contributions of Philip Jeck and Leif Elggren,shorter tracks focusing on solitary, largely unadulterated organblasts, fail to stand out among the longer, similarly fundamental orminimalist approaches of Biosphere and BJNilsen. Likewise, some of themore concept-oriented inclusions end up sounding much better on paperthan on disc, one example being Finnbogi P?ursson's "Diabolus" in whichthe artist's homemade single-pipe organ creates a low-frequency toneinterval that in Medieval times was referred to the "devil in music"but is barely audible here. In contrast, other loosely-conceptual worksmake for some of the best material, like Z'EV's woozy "If only thatlove let's letting happen," based entirely on samples of Bach's organmusic found via a Google search, and Toshiya Tsunoda's ambient"Layered," produced by a homemade shortwave radio organ set outside ona midsummer night. Generally, tracks on the second disc make for themost enjoyable pieces because they are long enough to become thicklyatmospheric, to fill the room with the same arresting, monumental calmthat great cathedral organs produce. BJNilsen (aka Hazard) actuallycomposed "Breathe" for performance at St. Mary's Church in WarwickEngland. The half-hour piece, a simple, unfolding drone spanning hugeintervals on organs constructed as early as 1898, is one of Spire'smost spare works and one of its most impressive. Other highlights fromthe disc include an Oren Ambarchi and Tom Recchion piece originallyreleased on a limited IDEA 7"; it makes sense here because Recchionplays Hammond on the track, though it is admittedly more in line withAmbarchi's solo work that anything particularly "organ-inspired." Spireends with new music from field recording guru Chris Watson whose windrecordings become an allegory identifying the organ with the elementalor divine act of harnessing the air, as well as associating theinstrument with a image of majesty that seems wholly justified at theclose of such a compilation. samples:
- Z'EV - If only that love lets letting happen
- Toshiya Tsunoda - Layered
- BJNilsen - Breathe
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