Gavin Bryars

John

After hearing a segment of his piece The Sinking of the Titanic on Lyric a few weeks ago, I went out and bought the full version. Absolutely stunning, a great concept turned into very listenable and very moving music (I find a great concept usually results in a difficult listening experience). Could anyone recommend anything else by him? Or similar composers?

cornbb

The only Gavin Bryars piece I've heard (or the only place I've actually heard of him) is on Aphex Twin's 26 Mixes For Cash. I think the piece is called Raising the Titanic. I was well impressed with it actually. Maybe I'll check out some of his other stuff and get back to you I think it strikes a resemblance to anyone else.

John

Arise slightly mouldy thread (like a wreck from the depths)!

I just received a new version of The Sinking of the Titanic that has been recently released on Touch Records. Absolutely stunning rendition, murkier and grainier than the one I already have. It features Philip Jeck and Alter Ego playing with Bryars. I cannot recommend it enough!

And I've still to hear any of his other pieces but my eye is on Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, a looped recording of a homeless man singing which is apparently incredibly moving.

Nyquistic

John wrote: »

And I've still to hear any of his other pieces but my eye is on Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, a looped recording of a homeless man singing which is apparently incredibly moving.

Wasn't that originally a Tom Waits song? Not sure, but I think John Kelly was known to play that one quite a bit, and Donal Dineen before him.

John

Bryars asked Tom Waits to sing on one version of the composition

Hermy

'Jesus blood...' was originally released on vinyl in 1975 but with the advent of cd Bryars wanted to take advantage of the greater capacity of the new format and invited Waits to get involved in the re-recording of the piece for the 1993 reissue. Tom sings with the tramp on the penultimate track and on his own in the coda.

bogmanfan

World premiere of his latest work in IMMA in November. Got my tickets.

John

Me too (I listed it last night in the Upcoming Gigs thread).

le_tigre

I didn't care for Jesus' Blood, but I've been down on guys like Bryars and Tavener for some years, now.

If you'd like more stuff along the lines of Jeck, then I'd recommend almost anything by William Basinski. Nurse With Wound's Salt Marie Celeste is like the outsider art version of Titanic, but you probably know that one already.

John

le_tigre wrote: »

Nurse With Wound's Salt Marie Celeste is like the outsider art version of Titanic, but you probably know that one already.

Heheh, I've even seen it live.