Charlemagne Palestine – Strumming Music for Piano, Harpsichord & Strings
“Charlemagne Palestine wrote intense, ritualistic music in the 1970s, intended by the composer to rub against audiences expectations of what is beautiful and meaningful in music. A composer-performer, he always performed his own works as soloist. His earliest works were compositions for carillon and electronic drones, and he is best known for his intensely performed piano works. These unpublished pieces are probably Palestine’s most contemporary music work, build on the same principle with other instruments of what he discovered on piano with Strumming mid-70. This is an unique variation of the way to compose. A perpetual rise in a continuum of sound.” – Sub Rosa.
16-page booklet contains: a 6-page essay, “Charlemagne Palestine: The Original Tintinnabulist”; a reproduction of a New York Times article from January 29, 1974: “Aborted Recital: Palestine, Composer-Pianist, Breaks Off ‘Continuum’ Debut, Citing Distractions”; and multiple pictures (uncredited, ostensibly from the 1970s) of Palestine at his Bösendorfer piano.
