Browse by Artist: BASTIEN, PIERRE

Artist:	BASTIEN, PIERRE
Title:	Pop
Label:	REPHLEX (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	REPH 162CD

Pierre Bastien is a French composer and multi-instrumentalist for dance companies, who built his own mechanical orchestra for musical accompaniment. This is his second release for Rephlex. Since 1987 he has focused on solo performances, sound installations, recordings and collaborations with such artists as video/film artist Pierrick Sorin and Karel Doing, Bauhausian string sculptor Jean Weinfeld, British singer and composer Robert Wyatt, fashion designer Issey Miyake, as well as performing in Pascal Comelade's Bel Canto Orquesta. Bastien played in some collective bands as well as with the Dominique Bagouet Dance Company, all the while literally building his own orchestra called Mecanium -- an ensemble of musical automatons constructed from meccano parts and activated by electro-motors, that perform with acoustic instruments from all over the world. As composer Michel F. Côté notes, "A composer's dream : a fail-safe orchestra at one's fingertips obeying ever so gently to his every command : a timeless sounding orchestra, both futuristic and slightly Dada, conjuring ancient traditions in its surprisingly sensuous music ...The musicians of his orchestra are machines. And the idea behind it is simple, efficient and poetic : to have traditional instruments (Chinese lute, Morrocan bendir, Javanese saron, koto, violin, sanza, etc.) played by a mechanical instrument made of meccano pieces and recycled turntable motors. These hybrid and self-playing sound sculptures perform a series of short pieces, charming and hypnotic." Bastien currently enjoys about 80 contributors to his orchestra, with shows and installations around the world.

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