Angels in the Architecture

   As a gesture of justice, let's try to observe 20th century art of sound without excitation, just as one more century in the history of music. But it is not an easy task. No wonder, past century was highly irregular period of rapid changes and modifications. Social issues were significant too, and for sure economic changes had strong impact on functioning of the culture, but still it was technology improvements which had really changed our life. Electronic means of sound during the process of production and reproduction has exchanged music dramatically and at any level of its functioning. In a way this revolution was even bigger than famous improvement in printing technique developed by Johannes Guttenberg. Before the era of electronic revolution many parameters of sound and space were just randomly. Composers were trying to make structures proper for every kind of reproduction, for good and poor performers, for small and big halls and auditoriums. Their aim was to compose music which could be played in every shape, in every possible circumstance with almost the same effect.
   In 20th century electronic means revolve everything upside down. From early mechanical phonographic recordings, than modified by electronic and digital technology, the process was a new quality in musical culture. Earlier theoretical attitude was always focused on structures and means, constructive, harmonic, orchestral, supported by the descriptive reports on performance characteristics. And rapidly musicologists were able to compare different ideas and distant realities. Old school performances with all its faults gave way to perfect performances of generations learned from records. Learning from recordings resulted the experience impossible to acquire in traditional culture. Recorded in studio, or just collected and merge from many recorded fragments compositions were moved to listeners' homes as the sound product of perfect quality. This change has influenced all kinds of music, and cultural practices. 

Angels in the Architecture (1987)

   When musicians realize the common place for listening music became home and how related social behavior had changed, they started artistic search for adequate means of expression. In fact earlier changes also generate artistic revolutions, every social, economic, religious change has strong impact on culture, so there’s no surprise changes in 20th century had been changed a lot. In 1980’s, partly as a reaction on disco frenzy, partly to recognize new possibilities of creating artificial sounds and spaces, group of musicians started recording music for contemplative listening, composed more as static sound picture than narrative musical construction. Creators of this new way were recruiting mainly from progressive rock, electronic, alternative and session musicians. This part of music, strongly connected to electronic sound experiments and minimal music ideas has been called ambient music and in early 1990’s it was widely spread as alternative for rock, dance and popular music.
   One of labels specializing in ambient records was Editions E. G. which was continuation of famous in 1970’s E. G. Records. It has started in 1969 from artistic management of David Enthoven and John Gaydon who were managers of such giants as King Crimson, T. Rex, Emerson Lake and Palmer and Roxy Music. In next decade E. G. Records was still the label significant for the whole artistic movement developed from progressive rock. In 1987 label Editions E. G. (then marketed by Virgin) released sampler of ambient productions We have here classics of Harold Budd, Brian Eno, Roger Eno, Michael Brook, experimenters and intellectualists with great Robert Fripp, Bill Bruford, Patrick Moraz, Phil Manzanera and Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
   Thirteen compositions from albums signed by featured artists comprises both meditative and radical compositions and everything here is outside the mainstream. But now, when more than the quarter of the century has passed, former experiments sound nobly and honestly. It’s fascinating how time made them pure and clearly understandable, free of novelty and thus full of meanings. There’s one more chance to look behind the curtain of our memory. And what we can find in past, show us where we really are.

Patrick Moraz – I

   The pioneering and most creative period in progressive rock history was a span about six years around 1970. After great success of progressive rock groups in early seventies, market demanded more records and concerts while musicians were more and more exhausted. This was the time many musicians started independent projects in various settings. And probably the clearest was turn made by members of Yes. The great success of the band in first wave of progressive rock gave musicians series of long lasting tours with meticulously prepared shows. After Yes released Relayer album, group activity was suspended and musicians decided to release solo albums. During this time all five members of the band (Jon Anderson, Steve Hove, Patrick Moraz, Chris Squire and Alan White) had authorized projects signed with their own names.
   Patrick Moraz was the member of Yes group for less than two years period only. In fact it was time from beginning of Relayer sessions in August 1974 to early 1976. So when he started recording sessions for his own album, he was still the Yes keyboardist. Before his debut LP has been released he quit the band. The original title of the project was I – on the cover graphics, the ridge, labels and notes, even in The Story of I printed inside, small letter “i” designed in characteristic “pin” shape was clearly the title. During next years it became personal logo of Partick Moraz. The I album was also by many listeners considered as self titled. For more convenience in later CD editions album has been called as The Story of I – according to title of the original story published inside the gatefold cover of LP edition.

Patrick Moraz – I (1976)

   As composer and arranger Patrick Moraz gave this album the quality of original concept and consequent finishing. He played vast variety of keyboard instruments, marimbaphone, many additional percussion instruments and alpine horn. The sound of the album is filled with leading singers John McBurnie and Vivienne McAuliffe, many additional singers with Veronique Mueller and The Children of Morat, guitarists Ray Gomez and Auguste DeAnthony, bass player Jeff Berlin and Jean Ristori playing double bass and cello. The augmented group of percussion instruments recorded with more than dozen percussionists of Rio de Janeiro, Rene Moraz and Jean-Luc Bourgeois. On side A of the album featured drummer was Alphonse Mouzon, while on second half of the record drums were played by Andy Newmark.
   Great musicians, especially drummers playing with natural expression are a kind of counterweight for intellectual complexity of this work. From formal point of view, this is precisely made composition in cyclic form of suite type. Patrick Moraz made new and very personal vision of synthesis comprising all individual and universal ideas. It was quite a challenge for progressive rock musicians since late sixties. In seventies this was the area of exploration for different world music artists. Patrick Moraz balanced his own crossover style connecting elements of jazz and rock, world music and classical formal discipline, popular and experimental, semantic and structural. Motoric intensity in some parts generates more fusion jazz than rock associations and reminds of some earlier folk rock ideas, especially these of trance and rhythmic energy advantage. Four stars for idealism and consequence.

Steve Howe – Beginnings

   Steve Howe is one of legendary rock guitar masters, very famous in seventies, then taking his place in losing its popularity rock scene. His high position he established in seventies when he was one of highly respected guitarists and one of the most influencing artists of progressive rock, and one of leading personalities involved in the development of progrock subgenres like art rock and symphonic rock. Playing with Yes group since The Yes Album, he made a significant contribution to the bands characteristic sound. Also his later career with such bands as Asia and Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe can be seen as natural consequence of his possibilities and realization of his earlier plans.
   In 1975, when Yes and many other groups were in stagnation, progressive rock fans were ready to buy any album connected to the current. This moment Atlantic label has published Yes’ compilation album Yesterdays and became publishing the series of solo albums by each member of the band. Steve Howe’s first solo album has been called Beginnings. It was the part of promotional strategy, the same label and the same style of Roger Dean’s cover design gave this edition characteristics of being the part of the Yes’ albums series. And this was kind of message the fans and records collectors never missed.
   It’s not easy to explain why this record became a failure. Maybe there were too much ambitions or not enough time, nor self-criticism, the result could be disappointing even for the most loyal fans. To be quite fair, the instrumental parts are perfectly played and mastered into the one complementary whole. Guitar solos and riffs are original, creative, in many parts are just catching. Vocal parts make listener feel uncomfortable. He sings with weak, humdrum voice with lack of vocal technique giving tiring impression Howe fights with higher notes and tightens the throat. This was aggravated by the fact, he was trying to sing like Jon Anderson, in too high register. Vocal performances are better in the low register choirs, the best example one can find in Lost Symphony, where low register vocals are corresponding with saxophones by Bud Beadle and Mick Eve.

Steve Howe – Beginnings (1975)

   The program of this album has been set as if the main idea was to demonstrate the originality and versatility of the artist. After many recordings with various bands in sixties, after hit records with Yes, Beginnings was Steve Howe’s debut under his own name. No wonder young artist was trying to build possibly complex vision of his music. If he had given up singing, this album would be much better. The interesting feature of this album is almost absolute lack of jamming, composed solos were connected with arrangements joining with them.
   Two of three instrumental pieces are better realization of art rock idea. Symphonic rock style was basis for idea of eponymous composition opening B-Side. Eight members of Philomusica (string quintet, flutes, oboe and bassoon) gave basic orchestral sound for three Yes’ musicians, Steve Howe on guitars, Patrick Moraz playing harpsichord, piano and moog, who was also author of this arrangement. In final part of Beginnings, the band is augmented by drummer Alan White, who played in most songs of this album. There were also David Oberle playing drums in Australia and Bill Bruford playing in last two songs. Third composition Ram is quite interesting sound sample, but showing only technical precision, it says nothing new about music.
   On a side note, it is worth considering what elements are creating the group’s achievements where every musician is different personality and final effect is much higher than result of adding its elements. Sometimes these influences are really hard to trace. Recorded after the greatest Yes’ albums of early 70’s Steve Howe’s Beginnings tells a lot about professional achievements and artistic possibilities of Yes’ guitarist. It also shows some lacks of his vocal technique. If not the weak voice and orchestral arrangements remaining in some fragments cartoon soundtracks, this album could get more power for Howe’s career. But it still gives some satisfaction for fans of Yes’ guitarist.