Composed and premiered in 1964, Terry Riley's in C is a major work in the contemporary music repertoire of the second hait of the 20th century and a pivotai moment in its history. In C is innovative in several respects - first in its structure: its score consists of 53 musical phrases, which each musician must repeat in the order in which they appear, as many times as he or she wishes.
Secondly, the set of instruments is not specified, and finally, the impetus for the performance is not given (vertically) by an orchestral conductor, but (horizontally) by the musicians listening to one another. The result is a perfectly open work, constructed in a participatory manner by the various performers together.
This unique structure influences the musical nature of the piece: In C (and this is another of its revolutionary characteristics) was the first work to offer a successful synthesis of repetition and variation. To immerse oneself in it is to experience a pulsation, a swirling fabric of sound, but different with each completed orbit.
The watchword here is playing and mutual listening; it is also to offer a series of challenges, questions and musical "maybes" that fit together in coherent beauty.
Philippe Simon
[Sides A to C]
Recorded live at the Studio des Forces Motrices, Geneva, Switzerland
On October 21st, 2021.
[Side D]
Synthesizers recorded at the Playroom / SMEM Fribourg
Korg Mono/Poly and MiniKorg 700s _ Sequential Circuits Pro-One and Prophet-5 _ Soma Lyra _ Roland JD-800 and Juno-60 _ Oberheim 08-8 _ Pin Electronics Portabella _ WEM Nightshade
Mastered [...] at La Maestà mastering Tredozio
Bernard Trontin plays Tama drums and Zildjian cymbals