The Squid's Ear Magazine


Moller, Andre O. / Christoph Nicolaus / Rasha Ragab: Music For Stone Harps [2 CDs] (Edition Wandelweiser Records)

Christoph Nicolaus began working with the stone harp around 2007, a block of granite with a slanted top that is deeply notched to create fins that resemble a loaf of bread, played by "bowing" the sides with wet hands causing each to vibrate in unique and beautiful tones; this album collects 13 compositions & improvisations performed between 2008 and 2018, in rich and uniquely evocative sound.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Andre O. Moller-stone harps, composer

Christoph Nicolaus-stone harps

Rasha Ragab-stone harps


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UPC: 4011778041238

Label: Edition Wandelweiser Records
Catalog ID: EWR 1917/18
Squidco Product Code: 28585

Format: 2 CDs
Condition: New
Released: 2019
Country: Austria
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold 3 Panels
Recorded in Munchen, Germany, in 2008 to 2018; CD1, track 10 recorded at Neufelden, Germany, in 2008 by Michal Pisaro.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

Todd Harrop's Th Muses site has an article about the Stone Harp which includes closeup photos of the stone harp and a clear explanation of how the instrument works.



"sometime around 2007/08 christoph nicolaus and i decided to work together with his new instruments, so called stone harps. these are blocks of black granite, roughly cut into a conical (harplike) form, so that when material sawn out and taken away, the remaining object consists of a number of increasing in length plates, furtherly shaped and polished.the overall size and shape of these "harps" may vary extensively. in order to get sounds out of these heavy instruments, one "bows" them with wet hands and/or fingers. each of these plates has two main sounds, one deep and one higher sound. like on any other acoustic musical instrument, these sounds have to be developed and the way one uses the instrument defines its sound quality and projection. before and while building such a stoneharp, it seams impossible to define its pitches. this characteristic is a basis of my approach towards composing for stone harps: each of them has its own microtonal material and character, so we have to accept it as given!

on this release we present two of my oldest compositions for stone harps on cd 1 and the newest on cd 2.

für eckl(a tanz der hauttöne) (2009) is an acoustic chamber duo on two specified stone harps recor- ded at kunstraum düsseldorf in 2012.stoned fridge (2008-2019) is based on my electronic work with the sound of a refrigerator recorded by michael pisaro. each time that piece gets played in concert (twice each time), we play with all layers recorded in former concerts. this is an hommage to our friend marcus kaiser and his piece "an einem ort - an einem anderen ort".

ménage à trois is a composition for three players (featuring rasha ragab) with six stone harps. the concert recording (november 2018 at klang im dach, munich) which was accompanied by a field- performance-recording claude-lorrain-ambient (me 2008, in and outside christoph's old residence) gets layered with a private performance we did one day after the concert, therefore the additive (double) .

the improvisations show a few glimpses of the improvisatory potential of a single stone harp or even six of them."-from the liner notes



"The stone harp is elemental. Of the five classical Chinese elements what is not represented is fire. Otherwise the harp is made of stone, it sits on a wooden box, it is played with water and it sings through the air."-Todd Harrop


Artist Biographies

André O. Möller was born in 1962 in Duisburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Works include "Blue/Dense" (2003), "In Memory of James Tenney" (2007), and "Musik für Orgel und eine(n) Tonsetzer(in)" (2003)

-http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/andre_o__moller (Rate Your Music)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Christoph Nicolaus" ia a Munich based concert organizer, sculptor and a friend of the Wandelweiser composers' collective. He has collected several stone harps and plays them occasionally in concert. They are substantial objects, both as sculptures and instruments."

-Squidco 3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Rasha Ragab: Born in Cairo, Egypt. Artist and curator. Worked as curator at Museum of Modern art- Cairo 1998-2012. In the mean time working as freelancer curator for different exhibitions and galleries. Showing here art work since 2003 till now. Living and working in Munich and Cairo."

-KHBI4 (http://khbi4.kh-biennale.world/rasha_ragab/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



CD1



1. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 4:24

2. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 5:43

3. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 4:58

4. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 2:27

5. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 4:09

6. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 3:46

7. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 2:12

8. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 2:56

9. Fur Eckl (A Tanz Der Hauttone (2009) 3:59

10. Stoned Fridge (2008-2019) 35:35

CD2



1. Improvisation (2018) 8:00

2. Menage A Trois (Double) 1:01:24

3. Apres Menage A Trois (Improvisation) 7:17

Related Categories of Interest:


Compositional Forms
Improvised Music
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Objects and Home-made Instruments
Ambient & Minimal Music
Sound, Noise, &c.
Solo Artist Recordings
Trio Recordings
Duo Recordings
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
New in Compositional Music

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