Steve Reich Different Trains/Electric Counterpoint Kronos Metheny LP 1989 NM
$
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Description
Steve Reich
Different Trains/
Electric Counterpoint
Kronos Quartet
Pat Metheny
Elektra/Nonesuch 9_79176-1 1989 12" 33rpm (Canada)
Minimalism as a chugging train, with Kronos Quartet playing in staccato rhythm alongside, and train whistles blowing as either sirens of nostalgia, or as sirens of horror. Its melodies occur as spurts derived from spoken word, musically translated and matched by the strings. The concept is Steve Reich remembering his privileged upbringing riding trains across the USA during World War II, knowing now that, since he's a Jew, if he were in Europe at the time a train ride would have been quite different. The spoken narration is recorded oral history put into an artistic context that goes for the jugular.
The first movement is "America - Before the War", using simple benign phrases ("one of the fastest trains"; "1941 it must have been") uttered by Reich's governess and a retired Pullman porter. Establishes a sepia past that, even in its safety, is aware of its placement in an anxious world. The second movement is "Europe - During the War", with a sudden shift to darker tones and phrases of terror recalled by Holocaust survivors ("and he said, 'Don't Breathe!'"; "into those cattle wagons!"; "Flames going up to the sky - it was smoking"). The final movement is "After the War", an uneasy awakening from a nightmare ("and the war was over"; "are you sure?"). A feeling more of relief, reflection and mourning than of celebration. Moving onward ... "going to America"; "one of the fastest trains"; "but today they're all gone".
It has a heavy mood that never fails to move me, strongly, emotionally. How many avant-garde classical pieces can you say that about? The melodicism derived from bits of spoken word is a powerful technique. A truly groundbreaking piece. Sadly, Reich knows this and keeps trying to repeat the concept - but don't be fooled by imitations. Different Trains is potent.
The second piece is Reich's classic patterned style as interpreted for overdubs of electric guitar performed by Pat Metheny. It has a peaceful New Agey charm that allows plenty of room for you to contemplate the clever counterpoint. Reminds you that *whew* good thing we live in more privileged times (for now).
Tracklist
Different Trains
A1 –Kronos Quartet America - Before The War 8:59
A2 –Kronos Quartet Europe - During The War 7:31
A3 –Kronos Quartet After The War 10:20
Electric Counterpoint
B1 –Pat Metheny Fast 6:51
B2 –Pat Metheny Slow 3:21
B3 –Pat Metheny Fast 4:29
Distributed By – WEA Music Of Canada, Ltd.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records
Copyright (c) – Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records
Published By – Hendon Music
Published By – Boosey & Hawkes
Pressed By – Cinram
Printed By – Ever Reddy
Recorded At – Power Station
Recorded At – Russian Hill Recording
Mastered At – Masterdisk
Art Direction, Design – Frank Olinsky, Manhattan Design
Cello [Kronos Quartet] – Joan Jeanrenaud (tracks: A1 to A3)
Composed By, Liner Notes – Steve Reich
Coordinator [Production Coordinator] – Jennifer Keats
Engineer – Les Brockman (tracks: A1 to A3), Rob Eaton (tracks: B1 to B3)
Engineer [Assistant] – Gary Solomon (tracks: B1 to B3), Michael Ahearn (tracks: A1 to A3)
Engineer [Mixing Assistant] – Ben Fowler (tracks: A1 to A3)
Engineer [Mixing] – Rob Eaton (tracks: A1 to A3)
Executive-Producer – Robert Hurwitz
Guitar – Pat Metheny (tracks: B1 to B3)
Mastered By – Robert C. Ludwig
Photography By [Cover] – Karl Steinbrenner
Producer – Judith Sherman
Producer [Assistant] – David Oakes (tracks: B1 to B3)
Viola [Kronos Quartet] – Hank Dutt (tracks: A1 to A3)
Violin [Kronos Quartet] – David Harrington (tracks: A1 to A3), John Sherba (tracks: A1 to A3)
"Different Trains" composed 1988, recorded digitally August 31 - September 9, 1988 at Russian Hill Recording, San Francisco.
"Electric Counterpoint" composed 1987, recorded digitally September 26 - October 1, 1987 at Power Station, New York City.
Includes a 12" square insert with English liner notes
Vinyl is NEAR MINT in a plastic inner sleeve in a hard card picture sleeve in NEAR MINT condition in a plastic protector sleeve
A Note About Shipping To The U.S.We are located in Canada, but have registered ourselves on eBay.com instead of eBay.ca because it gives us significantly better global exposure. The problem with this is that eBay wants us to charge shipping appropriate to US, where media mail and other options make for fairly reasonable delivery costs. We tried it for a while but ended up losing money on shipping or having to cancel the orders because we couldn't afford to ship for those rates. To manage this we have set the US shipping to run a calculator based on an American location (we chose Plattsburgh as fairly close) and charging according to UPS pricing. This avoids the cancellation issue, but appears to the buyer to be a prohibitive shipping cost and misrepresents the shipping as being only expedited. If you give us your postal code we will see if we can offer a more reasonable option, but generally we can get a single LP by air to most places in the continental US for $11, a few bucks less for ground.
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