What are you listening to at the moment?

[Aperiemus]

In recent days I’ve been listening to Alexander Scriabin’s late works a lot. I seem to prefer his piano music to orchestral material. Some of his stuff is really technically demanding for a pianist, but the restrained parts, when played with subtlety and intimacy really resonate with my current contemplations. The second prelude of his Op. 74 played by Dmitri Alexeev ties together a lot of threads in my mind surrounding death. It seems that only few have the patience to play the prelude slowly and softly, and Alexeev’s idea to repeat the piece helps conveying this sense of timelessness.

[Krepusculum]

In recent days I’ve been listening to Alexander Scriabin’s late works a lot. I seem to prefer his piano music to orchestral material. Some of his stuff is really technically demanding for a pianist, but the restrained parts, when played with subtlety and intimacy really resonate with my current contemplations. The second prelude of his Op. 74 played by Dmitri Alexeev ties together a lot of threads in my mind surrounding death. It seems that only few have the patience to play the prelude slowly and softly, and Alexeev’s idea to repeat the piece helps conveying this sense of timelessness.

This is new to me. Amazing works. Thanks!

[Cerastes]

At the moment I‘m mostly listening to silence.
It‘s not a band name, I‘m actually talking about the absence of noise.
It is hard to find a silent retreat in a heavily crowded country but there is a little spot in the middel of a large forst. Nobody goes there because to get there because there is no direct way and it is a little adventerous to reach. For some reason even the wind is quiet in this spot and I never saw deer or mice. Truth is that no song in the world could be as catchy as silence.

[obnoxion]

At the moment I‘m mostly listening to silence.

This brings to mind John Case's "4'33", which is basically three movements of silence. The idea for the song came up in a silent room, where the composer could still hear a low and a high sound. At the premiere, Cage denied it was a silent piece: The first movement was very quiet, but one could hear birds singing from outside. Then there came the sound of nervous movement from the audiene, and the sounds of people leaving.

I think I've heard or seen interview where Mika Luttinen mentioned he got the idea for Diabolos Rising song "666" from John Case's piece. Suppose that is the Black Metal version - or Vampyric Industrial version - of silence.

[Aperiemus]

This brings to mind John Case's "4'33", which is basically three movements of silence. The idea for the song came up in a silent room, where the composer could still hear a low and a high sound. At the premiere, Cage denied it was a silent piece: The first movement was very quiet, but one could hear birds singing from outside. Then there came the sound of nervous movement from the audiene, and the sounds of people leaving.

With John Cage, there is also an underlying current of zen-buddhism (and related spiritual practices) which is often overlooked when discussing his music. Here's a short enlightening interview of one of his influences:

https://youtu.be/R2V0F0lRkf8

It is hard to find a silent retreat in a heavily crowded country but there is a little spot in the middel of a large forst. Nobody goes there because to get there because there is no direct way and it is a little adventerous to reach. For some reason even the wind is quiet in this spot and I never saw deer or mice.

Sounds like a truly magical place! I feel that the absence of noise seems to warp time, and that can be a truly vivifying experience.

[obnoxion]

With John Cage, there is also an underlying current of zen-buddhism (and related spiritual practices) which is often overlooked when discussing his music. Here's a short enlightening interview of one of his influences:

https://youtu.be/R2V0F0lRkf8

Most of modern art has underlying spirituality which is usually overlooked. Things have begun to get just a little better very recently, but if an important person has a spiritual conviction, it is often played down or used against her or him. I think this situation is very wrong and, frankly, it disgusts me.

Thank you for the link to the interviw!

[obnoxion]

It is hard to describe the sort of mood that I most enjoy in music, but I tend to find it often enough from the broad genre of post-punk/new wave. Lately I've chased that mood from songs like:

ULTRAVOX: The Voice
SIG: Leijailen
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN: Killing Moon

[Angolmois]

My Dying Bride has released a new album 'The Ghost of Orion'. One of my favourite bands of all time. Like one of my FB friends said, the band is interesting because for them God doesn't seem to be dead. Turn Loose the Swans is an absolute masterpiece, as is The Angel and the Dark River.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsEqZHGvp8M

Burzum has also released a new album 'Thulean Mysteries'. That goes next into my playlist tonight.

[Smaragd]

Burzum has also released a new album 'Thulean Mysteries'. That goes next into my playlist tonight.

Nearly finished listening this nice surprise of an album. I'm a big fan of some of the ambient tracks and medieval melodies of Burzum, not to mention the metal greatness of the 90s. The "passive" way of working the new album shows in a bit half-assed bits, but I liked very much of the tracks that included spoken words that fit so well with the moods of the tracks and was right there at the steps of a Myth!

I've been listening to The Coffinshakers again many days on a row. It's music for the Autumn, perhaps I'm mentally somewhere in that season right now.

[Polyhymnia]

My Dying Bride has released a new album 'The Ghost of Orion'. One of my favourite bands of all time. Like one of my FB friends said, the band is interesting because for them God doesn't seem to be dead. Turn Loose the Swans is an absolute masterpiece, as is The Angel and the Dark River.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsEqZHGvp8M

Burzum has also released a new album 'Thulean Mysteries'. That goes next into my playlist tonight.

The Ghost of Orion is proving to be so beautiful so far. Today will be a day I dedicate to my secret doctrine studies and My Dying Bride. Beautiful way to spend a Saturday.

I've been listening to alot of Vital Remains lately. Dechristianize and Let Us Pray have been my regular gym fare, but now with the virus thing happening I'm mostly isolating at home, so I'm preferring the less aggressive stuff. Lots of old folk. I've been listening to Elizabeth Cotten and even did a weird cover of Freight Train while I was feeling stir crazy yesterday. I've also been listening to alot of Swans.