Giacinto Scelsi: Okanagon

Dive into the avant-garde and minimalist soundscapes of Giacinto Scelsi's "Okanagon," a captivating album that showcases the composer's unique approach to solo and chamber music. Released in 1993 on the hat ART CD label, this collection spans nearly an hour and features a variety of solo performances and intimate ensembles, each piece pushing the boundaries of traditional composition.

The album opens with "Maknongan," a piece that appears in multiple iterations for different instruments, highlighting Scelsi's exploration of microtonality and the expressive potential of single notes. The trombone solos in "Tre pezzi" offer a stark contrast, with their raw and powerful sound, while "Wo Ma" for bass voice delves into the depths of the human voice, revealing its dramatic and poetic qualities.

"C'est bien la nuit" and "Le réveil profond" for double bass solo demonstrate Scelsi's ability to create intricate and evocative textures from a single instrument. The album also includes "Et Maintenant, c'est a vous a jouer," a duet for cello and double bass, and "Okanagon," a mesmerizing piece for harp, double bass, and tam tam that exemplifies Scelsi's interest in the interplay between different timbres and rhythms.

Throughout "Okanagon," Scelsi's innovative use of extended techniques and his focus on the spiritual and meditative aspects of music create an immersive and thought-provoking listening experience. This album is a testament to Scelsi's enduring influence on contemporary music and his commitment to exploring the outer limits of sound and composition.

Giacinto Scelsi, an Italian nobleman with a penchant for the avant-garde, defied conventional labels, insisting he was not merely a composer but a philosopher and scholar of Asian religions. Born into Neapolitan nobility with Spanish ancestry, Scelsi's striking blue eyes and wiry frame were as memorable as his innovative music. A master improviser, he created vast amounts of music, often recording it on tape and later transcribing it. Scelsi's work, rooted in minimalism and experimental techniques, stands alongside that of contemporaries like Messiaen and Carter. His compositions, such as "Ko-Lho" and "Quattre Illustrazioni," offer a unique sonic journey, reflecting his deep spiritual explorations and unorthodox approach to musicianship. Scelsi's legacy is one of boundary-pushing and introspective soundscapes that continue to intrigue and inspire.