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I was given a CD some time ago that was a recording of a live impromptu performance by Kieth Jarrett. He plays the piano, just making up the concert as he plays. It's phenomenal. Some people don't like it because he gets stuck in few places trying to work out where he is going then finds his way out and into the next segment.

I'm entranced by it.

I find it like life. You develop a pattern, sometimes a solo sometimes just a rhythm, waiting for the exit point that leads into the next segment. Not knowing where it is going but having faith that it will lead into something that makes sense. It requires your participation and effort but, as with any art, it is something divine that flows through you and you just have to keep the channels clear.

koan;541119 wrote: I was given a CD some time ago that was a recording of a live impromptu performance by Kieth Jarrett. He plays the piano, just making up the concert as he plays. It's phenomenal. Some people don't like it because he gets stuck in few places trying to work out where he is going then finds his way out and into the next segment.

I'm entranced by it.

I find it like life. You develop a pattern, sometimes a solo sometimes just a rhythm, waiting for the exit point that leads into the next segment. Not knowing where it is going but having faith that it will lead into something that makes sense. It requires your participation and effort but, as with any art, it is something divine that flows through you and you just have to keep the channels clear.


I have been listening to Jarrett for many years and too enjoy his pianism. If I were to categorize his performances I would call them stream-of consciousness and know his artistry anticipates later new age music (but is much more sustantive). Just a point of reference I believe the person who anticipated Jarrett's music is the esoteric Danish composer Rued Langgaard. Langgaard was an excentric person who was a religious mystic and was a proponent of free-flowing romanticism. His major musical influences were Wagner, R. Strauss; his non-musical influences were Madame Blatovsky (sp?) and her mystical theosophy. In the 1960's Hungarian composer Georgy Ligeti discovered some of Langgaard's sheet music and stated he, Ligeti, was an epigone. At any one point in Langgaard's life he was either 40 years ahead of the time or 40 years behind the times. Though he does not have many great piano works for me to reference you to, they are short pieces inspired by nature, insects...but I would recommend his composition 'Music of the Spheres' and in particular the Chandos recording. MOTS is non-teological, non-causal music with its component parts seemingly, most of the time beautifully, attached to each other in a non-linear manner. This 34 minute composition involves 2 orchestras, 1 organ, and a large chorus who sings a final tone cluster entitled 'The end: Antichrist - Christ. You may or may not like his compositions but they have relevance to the subject at hand and think you might want to investigate him further.

As for Jarrett I have read his latest solo concert is regarded as being one of the best concerts he has ever given and cannot wait to listen to the recording.

Rich

I've always enjoyed stream-of-consciousness writers so it makes sense that I would like Jarrett. Now I have to listen to Jarrett whilst reading James Joyce. :wah:

As soon as I saw Freeform Concerto, I knew it was Jarrett.

Yes. The Koln Concerts.