Browse by Artist: DUCHAMP, MARCEL

Artist:	DUCHAMP, MARCEL
Title:	The Entire Musical Work
Label:	DOG W/A BONE
Format:	CD
Price:	$16.50
Catalog #:	DWAB 001CD

Originally issued in 2000, this is the first release from this 20th century composer's label, based out of the Paula Cooper Gallery in NYC; performed by Petr Kotik's S.E.M. Ensemble, with John Cage on one piece. This CD was recorded in 1987 by S.E.M. (including Ben Neill on trumpet) and was originally released in 2000; the Ampersand version was recorded in 1976. Duchamp's often overlooked musical work was composed for the most part between 1912 and 1921. His method was based on chance and represented a radical departure from the way music was done at the time. The Entire Musical Work includes the artist's complete oeuvre, namely "Erratum Musical" (For Three Voices), "La Mariée mise à nu par ses célibataires même," "Erratum Musical" (in two different versions for player piano and chamber ensemble), and the conceptual piece "Sculpture Musicale" (with a special version performed by John Cage). The liner notes contain reproductions of Duchamp's handwritten scores, as well as photographs of the instrumental "apparatus" used to create the second version of "La Mariée mise à nu par ses célibataires même (a funnel, seven open top cars and six sets of balls)." Also included is a mesostic (a poem legible both horizontally and vertically) by John Cage.

Artist:	DUCHAMP, MARCEL
Title:	The Creative Act
Label:	SUB ROSA (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	SR 057CD

2012 repress of this mid-90s release. "The first CD devoted exclusively to Marcel Duchamp brings some 50 minutes of very rare documents, all of which are crucial not only to understand Duchamp's work but also to grasp the rebellious, unconventional, anticonformist spirit that has always been there, but in the Zürich of 1919 took the absurd name of Dada." Content: "The Creative Act" (a lecture in Houston, TX -- April 1957); "Some texts from a L'Infinitif" (1912-20; lecture read in 1967, shortly before his death); "Erratum Musical" (score drawn at random and played on pedal harmonium by Jean-Luc Fafchamps; the first aleotry composition, long before John Cage); "An Interview" (by Richard Hamilton, recorded in NY, 1959); "A Score For Three Voices" (a score for 3 voices, only score written by Duchamp for his 2 sisters).

Artist:	DUCHAMP, MARCEL
Title:	Erratum Musical
Label:	SUB ROSA (BELGIUM)
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SR 183CD

Subtitled: "7 Variations on a Draw of 88 Notes." Performed 2/8/2000. "The principle of musical erratum is simple: you choose a keyboard -- any keyboard -- you draw each note at random -- no note can be struck twice, but all are struck -- the resulting whole is played without any particular modulation, 'a uniformity de rhythm, an accentuation' says Duchamp. The premises of minimal and aleatory art are thus expressed in 'the green box', published in 1934 (although the writings date back to 1912-15). To do this, we chose to use a piano (a Bösendorfer). Stephane Ginsburgh still young (born in 69), he is already known as a great pianist by the critics -- he loves to build his concerts as a mix-up of styles -- perfect in his performance of Robert Schumann, Morton Feldman and Stockhausen, he was the man between the pieces for piano by Renaud de Putter. The pieces heard here were recorded on one single day -- the beginning is lively, full of exploration (#1) - then it becomes gentler (#2) -- almost Feldmanian (#3) -- we reach the hard core in the center: 36 minutes that swallow up the everyday world (it's 4 pm, children are getting out of school, people are coming and going, cars rev up...) (#4) -- then there is the magic inverse version (#5) -- a strong reverse, tense, strung out (#6) -- then, tenuous, ending as evening falls (#7) -- the last note -- no. 63 -- is struck for the last time -- it was also the first note, played six hours earlier. To conclude on Erratum (from The Latin, fault, error, erratus, to lose one's way), neither order, nor chaos, we have obeyed the laws of chance -- an innocent hand, taking numbers from a vase -- a chance signed by Duchamp's idea, the sounds that come out here are his or the piano's or any human being's, living or dead."

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