Cage/ Sorrentino - American Music for Electric Guitar

"Dream" is a musical journey through the sound of the electric guitar in American concert music, based on sonic research and on the simplicity and beauty of the electric guitar timbre and colors. Sorrentino's transcription of Dream by John Cage opens the program. This version demonstrates the pure beauty of the electric guitar's clean sound with only the addition of light reverb. Alpha Aloha by Jack Vees is an experimental composition, where the electric guitar sound is electronically processed. The sounds result from playing guitar through various digital filters which slowly open and close at different rates, the resonance is set in such a way as to let some notes through with more strength than others. It creates an ocean of sound. David Lang's Warmth, for two electric guitars, explores the warm sound of the tube amp. No effects, only the overdrive and gradually increasing amp saturation. The graphic score Mare Undarum by Elliott Sharp is an invitation to a free improvisation. Quoting Sharp: "Sorrentino uses a variety of techniques on his electric guitar to vividly transform the score into a rarefied and hyperreal landscape. His direct and unadorned Stratocaster tone is rich with harmonics and deep with resonance." Rose of Beans by Alvin Curran, is an extrapolated fragment for electric guitar solo from a larger ensemble piece. This is the first release the lost electric guitar composition by Morton Feldman, The Possibility of a New Work for Electric Guitar. Originally composed for Christian Wolff, it was reconstructed by guitarist Seth Josel. Both of Christian Wolff's works for electric guitar are included here.