Artist: Ergo Phizmiz

Title: The Faust Cycle (or The House of Dr. Faustus)

When I left off yesterday, I stated that I wanted to have a separate download of “Improvisation for Cello & Electronics” by Bela Emerson.  It is such a captivating piece that I mentioned that it reminded me of a Karlheinz Stockhausen piece, alas I didn’t mention the title: Mantra.  I also mentioned Klaus Schulze & Rainer Bloss, but didn’t mention that I was thinking of the 2nd half of the Audentity album.

I’ve re-listened to the Bela Emerson piece, and still hold to my words.  However, besides Stockhausen and Bloss, I knew there was more that I was thinking about.  The next section of The Faust Cycle was to bring the connections to other music that I have listened to throughout the years to the foreground.  Hell Kebabs by Angela Valid brought into my mind some of the really classic electroacoustic pieces I’ve listened to throughout the years…  One of the better compilations of such pieces can be found in the Archives GRM collection, which features composers / artists like Pierre Boulez, Edgar Varese, Iannis Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen, Luc Ferrari, and  Francois Bayle just to name a few.

It also occurred to me that this is one of the things that I am not hearing a lot of the electronic micro-tonal / marco-tonal works that are coming out on netlabels like Resting Bell…  While the electronic works are detailed, well structured and thought out, they tend to not have the level of text and detail found in the earliest electroacoustic works from the 1950′s and 1960′s.  It’s definitely something that sets The Faust Cycle apart from other works.

After Hell Kebabs we return to a more narration oriented section, although this time, there is some meshing of the electroacoustic work in the background of the narration, even when a tango and waltz are mixed over the top of the abstract and complex texture of Hell Kebabs, which finally fades into the background as we are introduced to “Gretchen”.

Ergo, still in his wooden puppet form, watches Gretchen, and listens to her as she whispers in his ear.  She eventually slips into sing chanting portions of Anything Goes. We listen to a a small ensemble perform for a bit, then “Improvisation for Cell & Electronics” is re-introduced behind Gretchen.  This is a wonderful bit of meta-audio-narration as the familiar chirping of birds are re-introduced, the mixture of the string ensemble with muted trumpet, and several themes re-emerge.

After the conclusion of “Gretchen” we are cast into “Chronicles of the Suspicious Gentleman”.  This section starts with a piece sung by a small ensemble, and then Gretchen narrates the story as depicted by puppets.  The story revolves around the Gentleman and Madiana.  Much of the stroy is told through musical interpretation that mixes elements in a unique form, sounding like modern electronica, a 1920′s victrola and a carnival barker before giving way to an unusual interpretation (mashup?) of Fever, which gives way to another unusual interpretation — I can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch).  This gives a whole new meaning to the context of the song, bringing out the elements of jealousy and insecurity.

This section is a little more successful, or at least a little more obvious, when it comes to linkage between the music and the narrative elements.  It’s either that, or  I am getting some of my chops back for listening to a more complicated work such as this.

Onwards…

Artist: Ergo Phizmiz

Title: The Faust Cycle (or The House of Dr. Faustus)

This section is sub-titled Operatic Laughter.  The opening of this portion reminded me of something Negativland would do: use a sample from an opera, chop it up and loop it, then juxtapose it with a really cheesy latin-style jazz piece.  This segment is then followed with the Monkey Song.

Ergo, now presumably in the middle of a dream, has come to the realization that he is a puppet, who gets to do a dance once a day. Now he is relegated to watching all manner of unusual performances around him, being unable to move since he is made of wood.  The monkey reappears, using Ergo Puppet to relieve himself.  It always seems that with the appearance of monkeys the subject turns scatalogical.

After being used, Ergo is shown several short films… However, first, he is subjected to Igor Stravinsky’s standup routine which ends with Stravinksy disappearing through a picture of Caruso’s buttocks.  Then the films.

Eventually there is a filmed production of Eloise.  This stage production is about a doll being trained in opera by Dr. Faustus, or rather, someone portraying Dr. Faustus.  After the film we are presented with another Negativland style collage of operas being mixed into a new rhytmic and melodic structure, and juxtaposed with a piece of pop music.

This finally gives way to a minimalistic piece for cello and electronics (by Bela Emerson).  This is a wonderful piece, reminding me of a cross between a Karlheinz Stockhausen piano piece, and some of the works of Klaus Schulze and Rainer Bloss.

This last piece is just incredibly gorgeous.  I’ve started thinking that I want to download the music sections of this piece seperately (I know they are available on FMA), and this piece alone makes the case for having the music as a stand-alone entity.

Onwards…