[NewMusic] W.A. Mathieu

[Matthew Goodheart]

I've heard the recording several times, and I'd agree with you,  
although I'd use the term "aesthetic" rather than form; the aesthetic  
intent follows Mathieu's change since the early 70's, which seems to  
focus on a certain "spirituality" which might be perceived as "new  
age," though certainly far more sophisticated and technically complex  
than what one would normally associate with that term. Knowing what  
little I do about the aesthetics of folks on this list, I think that  
Game/No Game would not be greeted well, but that Ghost Opera could be  
of interest in some quarters. Also, GO involves a greater number of  
people, so it's interesting to hear how the games play out in that  
more complex scenario.

mg

On Nov 1, 2007, at 9:19 AM, Jon Raskin wrote:

> I listened to some of the duet with George and W.A. at the site and  
> they are using the language games to create the music.  The  
> vocabulary is much more consonant and "safe" and the connecton  
> between the jazz form and free form having similiar "problems".   
> The form doesn't mean that the music is vital or interesting by  
> itself.
>
> Jon Raskin
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Matthew Goodheart <matthew at matthewgoodheart.com>
> To: Bay Area New Music Discussion Group <newmusic at music.mills.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, November 1, 2007 9:05:25 AM
> Subject: Re: [NewMusic] W.A. Mathieu
>
> On Nov 1, 2007, at 7:53 AM, Jon Raskin wrote:
>
>> I didn't dig deep enough into this site and I used to have this LP
>> before it was liberated one day.
>
> Yeah, the original LP was cool (mine got "liberated" too). It was
> funded by someone, maybe even Thomas Buckner? So they didn't charge
> for it, they just gave it out. It even had something that said to
> pass the album on to someone else, so "Let's keep music free."  This
> new CD has some things on it the LP didn't have, though. Of course,
> the CD ain't free. . . times have changed.
>
> mg
>
>> It was a nexus point to be sure for improvisation with many
>> threads. One that hasn't been acknowledge that much was is that
>> Charles Moffett and family with Butch Morris, Glenn Spearman and
>> David Murray.    There wasn't lot of cross connection going on but
>> Butch Morris used to come to early improv workshops at the Blue
>> Dolphin on 17th street circa 1974
>>
>> Jon Raskin
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: Matthew Goodheart <matthew at matthewgoodheart.com>
>> To: Bay Area New Music Discussion Group <newmusic at music.mills.edu>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 9:35:45 PM
>> Subject: Re: [NewMusic] W.A. Mathieu
>>
>> A more historic recording, with similar but more fleshed out liner
>> notes is the Ghost Opera Company:
>>
>> http://cdbaby.com/cd/wamathieu9
>>
>> It's a really interesting recording, more in tune with some of the
>> things that are happening on this scene than Game/No Game. It's
>> really amazing to think that SF Conservatory had improvisation as a
>> required course in 1970. . . Also interesting to listen to the "free
>> improv" of that time, and hear what has changed and what hasn't: the
>> Ghost Opera stuff is gestural and pitch based, so interest in timbre
>> is not that apparent. But the gestural stuff is actually pretty
>> similar to a lot of things I've heard recently. I think it's an
>> important, though not so well known,  piece of Bay Area history, and
>> Mathieu's methods for getting musicians to interact is highly
>> developed and valuable.
>>
>> mg
>>
>>
>> On Oct 31, 2007, at 5:55 PM, Jon Raskin wrote:
>>
>>> Some interesting history and thoughts from the liner notes of a duo
>>> record
>>> of W.A. Mathier and George Marsh.
>>>
>>> http://cdbaby.com/cd/wamathieu7
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
>>> NewMusic at music.mills.edu
>>> http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Matthew Goodheart
>> composer ~ improviser ~ pianist
>> matthew at matthewgoodheart.com
>> http://matthewgoodheart.com
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
>> NewMusic at music.mills.edu
>> http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
>> _______________________________________________
>> Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
>> NewMusic at music.mills.edu
>> http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
>>
>>
>
> Matthew Goodheart
> composer ~ improviser ~ pianist
> matthew at matthewgoodheart.com
> http://matthewgoodheart.com
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
> NewMusic at music.mills.edu
> http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
> _______________________________________________
> Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
> NewMusic at music.mills.edu
> http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
>
>

Matthew Goodheart
composer ~ improviser ~ pianist
matthew at matthewgoodheart.com
http://matthewgoodheart.com