Michael Nyman - Decay Music

Michael Nyman's brilliant recording debut on Eno's Obscure label. A total heart-melter of a piano piece on one side, a hypnotizing bell and gong piece on the other side. Very clean record, coming in an unfortunately decaying sleeve - priced accordingly.

It will come as no surprise but Brian Eno's first label, Obscure, is held in high regard around here. And in its relatively short catalogue, Michael Nyman's "1-100" stands out as one of its most moving pieces. Behind its cold, theoretical title lays a hauntingly beautiful composition for piano. Played at half the speed at which it was recorded, "1-100" is quite a radical experiment in decay in music. Composed for a film of the same name, directed by Nyman's friend, Peter Greenaway (who eventually rejected the piece for it was too long), Nyman's two decay music pieces share with Peter Greenaway's best films this essential quality of being theoretical - mathematical, even - productions that are nonetheless highly emotionally packed, and, ultimately, as moving as a naive -childlike - gesture. 

It's good to add that Nyman's missed opportunity to soundtrack Peter Greenaway's film would not prevent the two of them to become one of the most important director/composer couples of the 20th century, a post-modern British Fellini/Rota couple. That being said, if you are familiar with Michael Nyman's soundtracks for Peter Greenaway, these two pieces might still surprise you with their highly introspective tone, "Bell Set No. 1" referring to the south-east asian continent rather than ancient european music. (VG+/VG a previous owner peeled the big promo sticker off - priced accordingly)

Tracklist

1. 1-100
2. Bell Set No. 1