Cage, John

Atlas Eclipticalis with Winter Music

Label: Mode Records Country: USA

CD reissue of Mode's second John Cage LP set, originally released as a 4-LP set on Mode in 1986, here remastered at 96khz/24-bit mastering with bonus tracks.

This is the first recording of all 86 instrumental parts of Atlas Eclipticalis, recorded under Cage's supervision at the "John Cage at Wesleyan Festival" in 1988, with all-star players including the Arditti Quartet, Alvin Lucier, Christian Wolff, Neely Bruce and others. These recordings stem from Cage's relationship with the Cornish Institute in Seattle, dating back to the 1930s when he taught there and performed as accompanist for many dance pieces; Cornish was also the scene of several of his musical discoveries and innovations. Cage's celebrated return to the Cornish Institute in 1983 led to these recordings of his conducting Atlas Eclipticalis performed simultaneously with Winter Music - a rare opportunity to hear Cage perform his own works. The original liner notes by John Cage and the New Performance Group's Matthew Kocmieroski are supplemented with new essays on Atlas Eclipticalis by Cage's long-time colleague and publisher Don Gillespie, and on Winter Music by Stephen Drury. The bonus tracks are the first releases of Winter Music for 20 pianos, here overdubbed by four pianists to perform the 20 parts, as directed by acclaimed Cage interpreter Stephen Drury.