Collections of themed recordings curated by John Noise Manis
BEST OF MUSICA CONIUNCTA
Here is a selection from the four albums of Musica Coniuncta published by Yantra between 2013 and 2023:
All tracks included in the selection have been remastered and some slightly edited.
Track 01 2:17 Prelude ramé with Puspa Warna
African Voices
Puspa Warna (a Javanese classical melody)
Track 02 3:06 Pangkur Barber
Macapat Pangkur, Nyi Cendaniraras pesindhen (singer)
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Track 03 3:48 Pangkur Mahler
Macapat Pangkur, Nyi Cendaniraras pesindhen
Mahler: Symphony no. 9, ending of last movement
Track 04 4:37 Stravinsky Airport
Brian Eno: Music for Airports
Igor Stravinsky: Dances Concertantes, Symphony in 3 Movements
Track 05 5:09 Constellations
‘Konstelasi’ by I Putu Suwarsa (Bayem)
Giles Swayne: ‘Cry’
George Crumb: ‘Makrokosmos III’
Track 06 3:02 Sekaten at Sessa Aurunca
Gamelan Sekati Guntur Madu of Surakarta
Arciconfraternita del SS. Crocifisso di Sessa Aurunca: Miserere
Track 07 1:51 Bali Sardinia
‘Pupuh Sinom’ by Seni Sana Sini
Chant of Sardinia
Track 08 4:54 Ivescage – Unperturbed by F.A.Q.
Charles Ives: The Unanswered Question
John Cage: Experiences no. 2
Track 09 3:23 Pangkur Satie
Macapat Pangkur, Nyi Cendaniraras pesindhen
Erik Satie: Gymnopedie no. 1
Track 10 1:55 Mijil Debussy
Macapat Mijil, Nyi Cendaniraras pesindhen
Claude Debussy: ‘Sirènes’ (Nocturnes)
Track 11 2:12 Carcelera Gangsaran
El Perro de Paterna (Cordoba): Carcelera
Gangsaran, Hartono kendhang
Track 12 3:37 Menese Ngorek Baik
José Menese (Puebla de Cazalla): ‘Tona y Martinete’
Kodok Ngorek at Mangkunegaran
Track 13 7:09 Dark Angels
George Crumb: ‘Black Angels’
Sounds from Balinese Ceremonies
Animal sounds
Track 14 5:47 A Debate of Four
‘Lapas Anarki’ by I Putu Arya Deva Suryanegara (Arya)
‘Manggurin’ by I Wayan Arik Wirawan (Arik)
‘Tak Sependek Pikiranmu’ by Yan Priya Kumara Janardhana (Janu)
‘X’ by I Putu Gede Sukaryana (Balot)
Track 15 8:43 Hildegard Susu
‘Susu Kembang’ by Putu Eman Sabudi Subandi (Emon)
Hildegard von Bingen: Spiritual Songs
Track 16 4:55 Mirakus & Stimmung at Subandi’s
Joan La Barbara: Mirakus (after Cage)
Stockhausen: Stimmung
Angkat-Angkatan by Sanggar Ceraken
Track 17 5:34 Sindhenan Manis for Beethoven
Beethoven: String Quartet op.135, lento assai
Andhegan Kutut Manggung, Nyi Yayuk Sri Rahayu pesindhen
Track 18 2:47 Mulatu Pelog
Mascaram Setaba by Mulatu of Ethiopia
Macapat of Java, Nyi Sri Suparsih pesindhen
About Musica Coniuncta
The idea of ‘musica coniuncta’ originated more than forty years ago, suggested by a serendipitous happening. I had recorded two pieces from the radio at different times. In order to save tape, the pieces were recorded in mono on the adjacent tracks of a two-track tape. Only at some later time I realized two things. First, the pieces had the same duration. Second, and more important, they sounded incredibly well fused when played together, which would naturally happen listening to the tape in stereo mode. The latter discovery was so startling that I refrained from doing anything about it, as if I had been given a mysterious gift or sign that was not to be investigated. Many years later I timidly began to try intentional operations of the kind, saw that they could work, that no evident punishment was hitting me from ‘above’, so I decided to make a permanent project of it.
The accidental combination that started it all involved two orchestral pieces: the well-known “Lontano” by Ligeti and the lesser-known “Stop” by Stockhausen.
In general, the combinations that find place in the project are of a varied nature and atmosphere, but it should be noted that the gamelan is a connective element in most of them.
‘Active’ or ‘creative’ listening is at the roots of the inclination to intervene to combine in various possible ways existing pieces of music. Arrangements and re-creations have been widely analyzed by the philosopher/musicologist Peter Szendy (b. 1966) in his book “Listen: A History of Our Ears”.
Of course, a life-long memory acquisition of music of all genres and cultures helps in establishing connections and building on affinities as well as on productive ‘counter-aesthetics’.
John Noise Manis
2024
NOTE –
Concerning excerpts of already published music used in the releases of Musica Coniuncta albums, attempts have been often made to get permission to use them. Such attempts have seldom received responses, and in general they do not produce results. The production is at any time ready to receive possible requests from legitimately interested parties.
YANTRA PRODUCTIONS
john.noise.manis@gmail.com