Invisible Polytechnic perform In C by Terry Riley

by Invisible Polytechnic

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A recording of Terry Riley's milestone of minimalist music, 'In C', performed by the Invisible Polytechnic ensemble. Arranged for voice, strings, woodwinds, harp, daegeum, hurdy gurdy, piano, organ, marimba, bass, and modular synthesizer.

Originally released in 2011, and long out-of-stock, a limited number of vinyl copies, with sleeve design by artist Mick Peter, have now been made available again, whilst stocks last.

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Limited Vinyl Edition of Invisible Polytechnic's performance of Terry Riley's "In C." ALMOST SOLD OUT. LAST FEW COPIES REMAINING.

Includes unlimited streaming of Invisible Polytechnic perform In C by Terry Riley via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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	1.	Side A 22:50		buy track
	2.	Side B 21:39		buy track

about

In 2011, Tom Cobbe, Andy Cooke (Socrates that practices music, The God in Hackney) and Dan Fox (The God in Hackney, Skill 7 Stamina 12, Big Legs) formed Invisible Polytechnic, a loose ensemble of musicians brought together to make a recording of 'In C', the milestone 1964 composition by American composer Terry Riley.

'In C' was composed in 1964, and was to become both a foundational work of minimalist music and one of the most significant compositions of the 20th century. The score is just one page, divided into 53 short modules, with a brief set of instructions provided by Riley. No specific instruments are noted, nor are the number of performers. Accompanied by a metronomic pulse, which runs through the entire piece, the basic idea is that each musician starts with the first module, repeating it however many times they like, before moving onto the next, and so on in sequence until they reach the 53rd section. Each performer is asked only to observe the pulse, and not get too far ahead or drop too far behind the rest of the ensemble as they play.

The result is ecstatic, joyous and serene. Despite Riley's deadpan title, 'In C' is full of musical complexity. No two versions are the same, and in the five decades since it premiered at the San Francisco Tape Music Center, the piece has been interpreted by musicians from a wide range of musical backgrounds, from amateurs to professionals, from acid rockers to traditional Chinese orchestras.

Invisible Polytechnic's version is part of that constellation. Featuring 19 performers and instruments including voice, strings, woodwinds, harp, daegeum, hurdy gurdy, piano, organ, marimba, and bass, with a modular synthesizer pulse played by Mark Pilkington (Strange Attractor), this 'In C' is mellow and autumnal in mood, softly hypnotic. It foregrounds the delicate balance between performer and group. Subtly fusing different musical traditions, this is the sound of a group listening and adjusting to each other as the piece unfolds. It aspires to achieve what composer Robert Carl described as Riley's "extraordinary balance between the constrained and the free, the ordered and the open, the personal and the communal."

“Large British ensemble scales the infinite peaks of Riley’s famed composition, carrying on the original’s sense of whimsical urgency and a polite yet curious air throughout both sides. Those expecting “new music ensemble”-type instrumentation and presence can breathe easily here, as Mark Pilkington and co. are not out to do more but present the exacting majesty of the piece in respectable terms, via a large chamber and choral ensemble. And in that sense, they win – indisputably. If you’ve never heard the piece, this and Riley’s original are good places to start, followed by the Styrenes’ version of it, and dead last, Acid Mothers Temple.” – Doug Mosurock (STILL SINGLE)

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released February 8, 2021

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Invisible Polytechnic New York, New York

Convened by Tom Cobbe, Andy Cooke (Socrates that practices music, The God in Hackney) and Dan Fox (The God in Hackney, Skill 7 Stamina 12, Big Legs).

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