Ignore the “2” in the title; this is Morton Feldman’s 1959 debut album, which by definition means it’s a key release in the history of modern classical music. Feldman’s association with the New York abstract art scene of the time is made explicit with the cover art by Philip Guston, but it’s the music, with its minimalism and emphasis on tonal color, that most clearly expresses the ethos of his visual artist peers. Perhaps the biggest influence, however—though it’s hard to say exactly who influenced whom—is John Cage, whose experiments with chance methods of composition and performance echo in Feldman’s graphic notation, which left choices of rhythm and pitch to the performers of his “Projections” and “Intersections” pieces. This release represents the first reissue of this landmark record (a later release, The Early Years, discarded the Guston album art and reshuffled the sequence), and to ensure the truest and clearest listening experience possible, we’re pressing New Directions in Music 2 on black vinyl at Gotta Groove Records. If you’re at all into, or even curious about modern classical, this is one you have to own.
View