David Behrman - Wave Train (Alga Marghen - plana-B 5NMN.020, 1998)
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Typical 20th century composer gobbledygook… for the first sixteen or so minutes. I suppose “Canons” and both parts of “Ricercar” could be enjoyable if one is in the right mood: I’d just skip them outright.
Of note is the title track, a 1966 composition made from what the liner notes describe as “piano resonance with feedback.” In practice, it sounds more like a violin bow being pulled across scrap metal. Whatever the case, it’s not bad.
Following immediately thereafter is the baffling “Sounds for a Film by Robert Watts,” a 1968 composition that’s about 70% nature sounds/raw foley work, 20% silence, 6% traditional instrumentation (implemented with seemingly little rhyme or reason), and 4% various electronic noises. I don’t know why it’s structured like this (the liner notes fail to provide the name of the supposed film or how this recording was obtained) but regardless, it’s a piece of shit.
Of far greater interest is “Players With Circuits,” composed and recorded in 1966. While not very harsh (or rather, not very loud), “Players With Circuits” is nonetheless a de facto noise composition and a damn good one at that. I’d love to know what circuits the “players” used in this recording, as such information is again vexingly absent from the liner notes.
Capping-off the compilation is “Runthrough,” another electronic piece: it’s just okay.
While Behrman’s solo work is a mixed experience at best, his contributions to mid-20th century avant-garde music should not be understated. He produced several indispensable early electronic records, mostly with Columbia, featuring the likes of John Cage, Henri Posseur, Milton Babbit, Pauline Oliveros, and Steve Reich, among others.
Notably, Gordon Mumma performed on all the tracks I liked (or at least found passable) on this compilation; Alvin Lucier and David Tudor also make appearances on “Runthrough" and “Canons,” respectively.
hear “Players With Circuits” on youtube