"experiMENTAL" music about death or loss

[bkudler]

I know experimental music is a way shit term, but I'm thinking like not singer songwriter stuff about death or "i'll be missing you" didddy style things. Post inspired by Watchful Ear's Favorite Album series. I read Richard's post last in the series and the other writings made me think about what I would chose to be my fav record if asked to write a selection. I thought it might be The Pilgrim, because it takes something that is usually seen as sterile or without emotion (or carnality for our homie across the pond), and has packs an incredibly powerful emotional AND musical punch. Then I get to Richard's post and he says he like "Duos For Doris" for very very similar reasons. One is about the death of a father, one about the death of a mother, both amazing statements on death, loss and sadness. My question is, are there any others like that out there??

[laszlo juhasz]

death of a daughter: vanishing point by jason kahn

[jon abbey]

not to sidetrack too much, but to me there's a big difference between The Pilgrim and Vanishing Point (both explicitly done to try to help deal with the premature death of a loved one after the fact) and Duos for Doris (an already planned recording session which ended up occurring in the wake of John's mom dying a peaceful and expected death at the age of 95). Keith suggested titling it Duos for Doris after the fact, but honestly if it had a title dealing with the US war in the Middle East (something else which had also just occurred and which the recording is also deeply connected to), people would probably hear it differently even though the record would be the same.

back to the question, Otomo's 'My Dear Mummy' is built around the diary of a person who committed suicide via starving themselves to death over the course of two months, accompanied in Otomo's version by music. there were CD releases with Japanese and German narration, unfortunately not English.

[jon abbey]

I might even argue that Keith's solo releases EL007 and the upcoming EL011 are more explicitly connected to death than Duos for Doris, I'm sure Keith addresses this in his ErstWords piece on EL007. I don't want to get into talking specifics on EL011 yet, but if I was, I could make a strong case there too, I think.

[Jesse]

I might even argue that Keith's solo releases EL007 and the upcoming EL011 are more explicitly connected to death than Duos for Doris.

yes.

[grisha]

Hiroaki Minami ‎– Electronic Symphony No. 1
Eliane Radigue ‎– Trilogie De La Mort

[Seth]

I think of William Basinski's Disintegration Loops as being about death - even though they're not, exactly. The sound of decades old tape loops slowly falling to pieces before your ears. It could have done without the added reverb, but otherwise excellent. There are other releases of his that use the same methods.

Richard Skelton/A Broken Consort would be an obvious choice. His wife passed away, an event that casts an understandably long shadow across him and his music. Landings would be a good release to listen to, although I used to own a couple of Broken Consort discs that were similarly good (not much to pick between them, he's one of those musicians who often seems to be remaking the same piece of music).

Adding my weight to the recommendations for The Pilgrim and Duos for Doris. Just heard the latter for the first time this evening after Richard Pinnell's blog post. I agree with Jon Abbey's point about whether you can really say that it's 'about death', but either way it's superb music.

[faster]

The idea people still think of music as being "about" something is discouraging.

[jon abbey]

but what if the creating musician/s say that it is?

[Jesse]

they're wrong.

[grisha]

of course "about" is not the best word to use here, but i didn't really think about until Joe's post, because i understood perfectly what the author of the thread wants. so i guess it's ok.

[Dan Bennett]

The idea people still think of music as being "about" something is discouraging.

Nearly as discouraging as the dogma in art music that says it cannot be "about" anything.

I wonder both sides are accepting the same unchallenged assumption? That a musical aboutness would have to proceed along the same lines as a linguistic aboutness.

[Charon]

'aboutness' thread?

[Jesse]

suchness.

[faster]

Nearly as discouraging as the dogma in art music that says it cannot be "about" anything.

Yes, that's also discouraging, but not what I meant at all.

[Seth]

I haven't read anyone advance any particularly considered arguments about "aboutness" in music in this topic. And I'm also not convinced, from his one-liners, that faster's engaged enough to talk about it much either. Maybe there's not enough interested people to support a discussion on it?

[vrfats]

why get caught up in linguistic trivialities? maybe rephrase things , music relating to or addressing death or an experience with it?
sure, there are plenty of people in the both art and pop world ready to tack a concept onto the work which has little to do with the motive for creating it or the perspective its coming from, functioning more to the end of mimicking a certain level of cultural importance/relevance, giving the reviewer something to write about that makes it look more legitimate.

I second the basinski and radigue.

watch maya deren - divine horsemen: the living gods of haiti
listen to Masstishaddhu - Shekinah

[faster]

And I'm also not convinced, from his one-liners, that faster's engaged enough to talk about it much either.

True. I'm really busy right now.

[jon abbey]

Takayanagi's 'Shibito' fits here well, the title translates to 'dead people' in Japanese. still in stock at Mimaroglu with a bit more info there (and a hilariously non-helpful babelfish translation of the CD info)...