Red Cedar
More apocalypse, less angst
Minimalism in music.
You know how sometimes you just get stuck on a song? Well – today I’m stuck on Thom Yorke’s Analyse – from his new album The Eraser. The whole album is pretty great, but that song keeps getting me back, I’m not exactly sure why…. very Radiohead though, and in that way somewhat soothing.
I am attending a self-care workshop this weekend and each participant has been asked to bring two pieces of music that have particular resonance for us – I’m not sure to what end – but it’s been an interesting question for me which two pieces to pick since I have been innundated by music my whole life, and over time have had many songs important to me.
In the end I have decided to go with Facades by Phillip Glass and Exit Music (For a Film) by Radiohead which both manifest in my body in a similar way when I listen to them – a rather freeing and exploratory thing. Not joyous, but existing in a space that makes me very calm and grateful. Interesting that both Glass and Radiohead are considered minimalists in their respective genres – as though the sparseness in melody opens up a space easy to step into and inhabit if only for a few minutes at a time. Other music is much more “crowding” in some respects and seem to “envelope” rather than free up space.
One of the recurring themes in my thinking about music lately has been the role of dissonance in minimalist music, and the myth of “harmony” in civilized society (primitive and tribal societies often create music rich in dissonance, something I think is really important in the context of organic rather than mechanized growth). I know – sounds kinda pretentious – but it’s not… and perhaps I will get around to writing about it here sometime.
Mostly I’ve just been thinking that I would like to get back to making music with other people – and soon I’ll be in a new town to do just that. Nice.
One Comment on “Minimalism in music.”
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Red Cedar 
if they ask you to play these pieces for the group i’d be interested to hear the reaction to facades.
once, many years ago, i went to a record listening party with a copy of six marimbas by steve reich. some of the people there were actually *offended* by it and me. the general reaction to it was far stronger than to any hardcore record!