>Volume 1: Les incunables 1948-1950
I really like musique concrete because of how inherently unusual the concept of it is. It takes sounds that we are relatively familiar with and puts them together in a very unnatural way. It is absolutely fascinating. Schaeffer brings out the best of this.
There are numerous moments of awe on the first volume. Etude Noir features some orchestral sounds hidden behind industrial cluttering and it’s one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. The bell sample on Etude Pathetique is also haunting as fuck. The way Allegro blows up at the end. Overall, the piano that Schaeffer features on the Diapason Concerto section is crooked and haunting. Definitely a highlight for me. It is similar to what The Caretaker was trying to achieve with An Empty Bliss… but this one just works much more naturally and convincing. The tape hiss is a part of a thrill. The way Andantino revolves around like some Christmas miracle only to turn into a rising blizzard is brilliant. The way he places those tape sections compliments the main piano section so well. After the concerto there is a small variation on the Mexican flute and with additional percussive elements that are derived from unknown to me sources it sounds interesting. It has a sense of space, which is one of my favorite things in music in general.
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