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Davies, Rhodri: Wyth [8 CD Box Set] (Amgen Records)

Collecting eight of avant improvising Irish harpist Rhodri Davie's albums on his Amgen label--Trem, Over Shadows, Wound Response, An Air Swept Clean Of All Distance, Telyn Rawn, For Simon H. Fell, Dwa Dni Telyn Wrachïod--a diverse set of approaches and configurations showing both his interest in the history and in the creative use of his instruments.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Rhodri Davies-horsehair harp, lap harp, electronics, lever harp, e bow, pedal harp, tape, percussion


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Limited edition of 91 copies

UPC: 5904224873448

Label: Amgen Records
Catalog ID: AMGEN 011
Squidco Product Code: 35100

Format: 8 CDs
Condition: New
Released: 2024
Country: UK
Packaging: 8 CD Box Set
CD 1 (Trem) Recorded live at All Angels, St Michael and All Angels Church, in West London, UK, May 10th, November 22nd, 2001, and December 7th, 2001, by Tim Fletcher.

CD 2 (Over Shadows) recorded at the Old School, Bracon Ash, in Norfolk, England, UK, on July 26th, 2004, by Graham Halliwell.

CD 3 (Wound Response) recorded at Morden Tower, at Newcastle upon Tyne, on December 11th, 2011, by Phil Begg.

CD 4 (An Air Swept Clean of All Distance)recorded at Blank Studios, in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, on January 31st, 2014, by Sam Grant.

CD 5 (Telyn Rawn) recorded at Blank Studios, at Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, on January 22nd, and 23rd, 2020, by Sam Grant.

CD 6 (For Simon H. Fell)recorded in Swansea, UK, on June 26th, 2020.

CD 7 (Dwa Dni) recorded in Swansea, UK, on January 26th, and 27th, 2021.

CD 8 (Telyn Wrachiod) recorded at Mwnci Studios, in Dolwilymm UK, on August 24th, 2023, by Jethro Chaplin.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.


Trem:

Reissuing his 2003 album on the Confront label, Rhodri Davies' first solo album is a captivating set of uniquely voiced free improvisation, using a pedal harp, radio and tape recorders and percussive devices, and recorded in the natural resonance of All Angels, St Michael and All Angels Church in London, creating narrative and drama through Davie's intuitive sense of timing.



Over Shadows:

An extended solo titled for author Redell Olsen's book secure portable space (Reality Street), performed on Lever harp and EBows by UK electroacoustic improviser Rhodri Davies, recorded at Old School, Bracon Ash, in Norfolk in 2004 by Graham Halliwell and edited by Benedict Drew and John Wall, creating a richly evolving work of haunting plateaus and valleys.



Wound Response:

First released in 2012 on the Alt.Vinyl label and now reissued on his own Amgen label, Rhodri Davies performs solo in Newcastle upon Tyne on lap harp and electronics, using two main techniques: over-articulation of the strings (what harpists are taught not to do) and attacking the strings with a plectrum, forcing the tuning into new relationships until the strings eventually break.



An Air Swept Clean Of All Distance:

First release on the Alt.Vinyl label in 2014, this album finds harpist Rhodri Davies performing on the same instrument as his prior album Wound Response, but here with no amplification, preparations or distortion, improvising through "tumbling phrases, arpeggios and articulate rhythms", in a compelling album of assertive and joyful playing.



Telyn Rawn:

Harp design by Rhodri Davies, body of harp by Alun Thomas, leather work by Gaynor Davies-Howell, pegs turned by Alan and Milissa Dewey, horse hide supplied by Barrhead Leather, plaited and wound horse hair strings supplied by Simon Chadwick. The building of the harp was made possible through a Creative Wales Award.



For Simon H. Fell:

Influenced by bassist Simon H. Fell since first hearing him in 1994 in a quartet with Peter Brotzmann, harpist Rhodri Davies approached Fell to work together, enjoying 20 years of collaborations in many group settings; in 2020 Simon H. Fell became seriously ill and passed in June of that year, this extended improvisation being Rhodri Davies' heartfelt tribute to the great improviser.



Dwa Dni:

Two recording sessions yielding 15 recordings of solo harp improvisations in Rhodri Davies' fifth release on his Amgen imprint, beautifully intricate works from exuberant to introspective, with titles borrowed from the works of Lisa Jarnot, Ed Luker, Nathaniel Mackey, Redell Olsen, Sun Ra, Nisha Ramayya, Sarah Riggs and Leslie Scalapino, and cover art by Jean-Luc Guionnet.



Telyn Wrachïod:

Dating back to the 13th century in Wales, the Telyn Rawn is a nearly forgotten horsehair harp; UK improvising harpist Rhodri Davies researched the instrument and its unique sound, commissioning the construction of a harp on which he performs 18 improvisations of impressive technique and sonority, launching his new Amgen Records label with this album named for the instrument.


Limited edition of 91 copies

Artist Biographies

"Rhodri Davies was born in 1971 in Aberystwyth, Wales and now lives in Gateshead in the northeast of England.

He plays harp, electric harp, live-electronics and builds wind, water, ice and fire harp installations. He has released four solo albums: Trem, Over Shadows, Wound Response and An Air Swept Clean of All Distance.

His regular groups include: a duo with John Butcher, Common Objects, HEN OGLEDD: Dawson - Davies, a trio with David Toop and Lee Patterson, Cranc, The Sealed Knot and a trio with John Tilbury and Michael Duch.

In 2008 he collaborated with the visual artist Gustav Metzger on 'Self-cancellation', a large-scale audio-visual collaboration in London and Glasgow.

New pieces for solo harp have been composed for him by: Eliane Radigue, Phill Niblock, Christian Wolff, Ben Patterson, Alison Knowles, Mieko Shiomi and Yasunao Tone.

In 2012 he was the recipient of the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, Grants to Artists Award."

-Rhodri Davies Website (http://www.rhodridavies.com/words/)
10/2/2024

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


Track Listing:



CD1



1. Cresis 8:42

2. Undur 5:15

3. Trem 8:29

4. Beres 6:14

5. Plosif 3:07

6. Berant 5:55

7. Atam 3:39

CD2



1. Over Shadows 36:09

CD3



1. Everything At Each Moment 3:17

2. Questions Of__________________ Middle Distance 4:18

3. The Concentric Blaze 3:01

4. A Parallel Or Mirroring Space 6:22

5. Here The Sun Does Not Enter 2:49

6. `Pivotal' Object 2:35

7. Only Compromises Were Arrived At In The End 2:09

8. Closed Horizontal Illumined 2:19

9. The Convergence Of How We Got There 6:50

10. Fulfilment Of The Event 4:20

CD4



1. Soaked Ruins Of A Raft 2:40

2. In Distortion-Free Mirrors 3:00

3. The Rule Was Corroborated In Non-Ordinary Reality 3:02

4. Each Clear And Sudden Drop Is Itself 3:56

5. Recapitulation Of 1:12

6. Making Anything Perishable That Can Die 1:46

7. Continues, Placement 3:24

8. Fingers Pluck Played On By 1:51

9. A Cut Circle Orbit Becoming A Vrtual Universe 3:43

10. The End Of Now 2:17

11. Outward Radiating Against 2:14

12. Each Annulling The Next... 3:15

13. Wet Thru Mines Stones 2:32

14. On The Outer Reach Of The Unending 4:54

CD5



1. Penrhiw 2:37

2. Gorchan Sali 5:44

3. Y Gaseg Fedi 2:09

4. Angharat Ton Uelen 2:51

5. Maen Ceti 1:53

6. Rhywbeth 1:06

7. Afon Dewi Fawr 4:13

8. Ffarwel Arddol 3:24

9. Lwc i'r Ceffyl Melyn 2:11

10. Pengribyn 3:16

11. Cwrt Malle 3:00

12. Triban Cilrhedyn 1:16

13. Waunceiliogau 2:21

14. Dygan tro'r Ebill 2:47

15. Erddigan Gwawr 1:50

16. Gorhoffedd Rhisiart 2:38

17. Penglog Ceffyl 2:02

18. Y Don Newydd 1:52

CD6



1. For Simon H. Fell 59:42

CD7



1. Niekonczacy Sie Poczatek. Niekonczace Sie Pozegnanie. 2:43

2. Dzwiek I Nastepstwo 2:17

3. To Byl Duch Transu 2:32

4. Wiatr Pelen Szemrania Duchow 1:43

5. Ani Jednego Wiecej Mostu Do Przekroczenia 3:00

6. Koegzystencja Jak Spiralna Paralela 3:39

7. Zaprzyjaznic Sie Z Glogiem 1:31

8. Odkochalem Sie Od Czasu 1:36

9. Albo Innymi Slowami 1:38

10. Piosenka Pomiedzy 2:40

11. Wciecie W Przestrzeni 2:57

12. Strony Przywiazania 1:28

13. Seria Nieistotnych Decyzji W Formie Uczucia 2:57

14. Wibracje Plyna Przez Oceany Powietrza 1:24

15. Przypomniano Nam, ze Bylismy 3:35

CD8



1. Agoriad Y Cywair 3:56

2. Cildraeth Sienco 2:33

3. Hanner Dyrned O'r Wermod Lwyd 3:42

4. Asswynaw Rhisiart 1:54

5. Ar Lafar Gynt 2:19

6. Un Dydd 2:16

7. Dygan Gwent 2:50

8. Pe Cawn I Glasfedd 2:34

9. Yr Hen Don 3:27

10. Triban Y Gwyddon 5:52

11. Gardd A Thy 2:54

12. Erddigan Dannau 2:28

Related Categories of Interest:


Box Sets
Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
Electro-Acoustic
Electro-Acoustic Improv
London & UK Improv & Related Scenes
Stringed Instruments
Electronic Forms
Solo Artist Recordings
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
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Search for other titles on the label:
Amgen Records.


Recommended & Related Releases:
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ist (The Improvising String Trio) of Rhodri Davies (harp), Simon H. Fell (bass) and Mark Wastell (violincello) performing at The Natural Music Club in London, 1997, using unorthodox techniques in indeterminate systems and free improvisation for fascinating results.
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Continuing his investigations into ancient Welsh Harps, the Telyn Wrachïod (which translates to the Witches Harp) used pegs or brags emerging from the string-holes, in Welsh called gwrachïod, which could be adjusted to press on the strings to create a buzzing percussive sound used for dancing, here in improvisations by Rhodri Davies using a Urquhart bray harp.
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Davies, Rhodri
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First release on the Alt.Vinyl label in 2014, this album finds harpist Rhodri Davies performing on the same instrument as his prior album Wound Response, but here with no amplification, preparations or distortion, improvising through "tumbling phrases, arpeggios and articulate rhythms", in a compelling album of assertive and joyful playing.
Davies, Rhodri
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First released in 2012 on the Alt.Vinyl label and now reissued on his own Amgen label, Rhodri Davies performs solo in Newcastle upon Tyne on lap harp and electronics, using two main techniques: over-articulation of the strings (what harpists are taught not to do) and attacking the strings with a plectrum, forcing the tuning into new relationships until the strings eventually break.
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Davies, Rhodri
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(Amgen Records)
Dating back to the 13th century in Wales, the Telyn Rawn is a nearly forgotten horsehair harp; UK improvising harpist Rhodri Davies researched the instrument and its unique sound, commissioning the construction of a harp on which he performs 18 improvisations of impressive technique and sonority, launching his new Amgen Records label with this album named for the instrument.



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