The creative life of gay African-American composer Julius Eastman (d. 1990) was one full of conflict. As both an associate and opponent of white musicians such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, who would later become so famous, his dismissal of their compositions as “esoteric meditation music”, meant he found little favour with the scene at the time and made him a persona non grata. His compositions, which combine minimal music with punk-influenced expressionism are brought to life in this concert by the Swiss Kukuruz ensemble, which serves to honour Eastman’s work and approach through what can only be described as an explosive interpretation.
"…a guerrilla is someone who in any case is sacrificing his life for a point of view. And you know if there is a cause, and if it is a great cause, those who belong to that cause, will sacrifice their blood because without blood there is no cause. So therefore that is the reason that I use ‘gay guerrilla,’ in hopes that I might be one if called upon to be one.” (Julius Eastman)
Year of creation
2020
Label
Intakt Records
Director
-
Credits and thanks
Philip Bartels, piano
Duri Collenberg, piano
Simone Keller, piano
Lukas Rickli, piano
Kukuruz Quartet plays “Gay Guerrilla” (excerpt) by Julius Eastman at Brown University (US)
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Added on 21 October 2020
The creative life of gay African-American composer Julius Eastman (d. 1990) was one full of conflict. As both an associate and opponent of white musicians such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, who would later become so famous, his dismissal of their compositions as “esoteric meditation music”, meant he found little favour with the scene at the time and made him a persona non grata. His compositions, which combine minimal music with punk-influenced expressionism are brought to life in this concert by the Swiss Kukuruz ensemble, which serves to honour Eastman’s work and approach through what can only be described as an explosive interpretation.
"…a guerrilla is someone who in any case is sacrificing his life for a point of view. And you know if there is a cause, and if it is a great cause, those who belong to that cause, will sacrifice their blood because without blood there is no cause. So therefore that is the reason that I use ‘gay guerrilla,’ in hopes that I might be one if called upon to be one.” (Julius Eastman)
Credits and thanks
Philip Bartels, piano
Duri Collenberg, piano
Simone Keller, piano
Lukas Rickli, piano
produced by ox&öl
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