Ensemble pieces - Gavin Bryars, Christopher Hobbs et al album review

Ensemble Pieces
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Artist: Christopher Hobbs, John White, Gavin Bryars, Cornelius Cardew, Derek Bailey, Mike Nicholls, Celia Gollin, Brian Eno, Andy MacKay, Stewart Deeks, Paul Nieman, Fred Frith
Genre: Classical
Label: GB Records

This selection of experimental British music was originally issued on Brian Eno's Obscure label in the mid-1970s. Christopher Hobbs's bell-infused Aran is related to Aran sweater knitting patterns.

His McCrimmon Will Never Return for four reed organs slows down a pibroch melody so that the decorative flourishes stand out. Gavin Bryars's spaced-out 1, 2, 1-2-3-4 is for performers trying to reproduce their instrumental or vocal part from a work they're hearing on headphones.

His The Squirrel and the Ricketty Racketty Bridge, for four players using eight guitars, sounds like a weird toy going round and round on some kind of musical skidpan. Performers include Derek Bailey, Brian Eno and Cornelius Cardew.

Michael Dervan

Michael Dervan

Michael Dervan is a music critic and Irish Times contributor