Jack Johnson

 

 

John Arthur Johnson (March 31, 1878 – June 10, 1946), nicknamed Jack Johnson "Galveston Giant", was an American boxer who became the first Black American world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915). 

 

 

 

The poet Arthur Cravan, nephew of Oscar Wilde, organized a fight on April 26 at the Plaza de Toros Monumental in Barcelona with the world champion who knocked him out after 43 minutes in the 6th round.

 

Miles Davis who used in the 70s to practice boxing composed the "Tribute to Jack Johnson" which was the musical score of the movie "Jack Johnson". This tribute to the boxer is one of the first electric albums of Miles (except "Bitches Brew" - 69/70) composed in 1970 and the most musically successfull, in my opinion; unfairly overlooked in the career of Miles despite a dream casting including John Mc Laughlin, Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Jack De Johnette, Sonny Sharrock, and some others!

 

 

 

More informations about this amazing release on "Dangerous Minds"

 

 

 

 

 

The full documentary with Miles's music, produced by the boxing promoter and manager William Cayton and directed by Jim Jacobs who did 3 movies around boxing.

& the full Miles Davis album HERE 

a post originaly published in 2015

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Son nata a lagrimar

La contralto (et chef d'orchestre) Nathalie Stutzmann et le contre-ténor Philippe Jaroussky chantent le fameux duo de Cornelia et de Sesto "Son nata a lagrimar" extrait de l'opéra de Haendel "Jules César", composé en 1723.

Une pure merveille.

Contralto (and conductor) Nathalie Stutzmann and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky sing Cornelia and Sesto's famous duet "Son nata a lagrimar" from Handel's opera "Jules César", composed in 1723. 

 

A pure marvel.

 

 

 

et aussi, avec ces deux artistes (dans des rôles différents) un splendide "Stabat Mater"  de Pergolese

 

and also, with these two artists (in different roles) an amazing Pergoles's "Stabat Mater" 

 

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Mikrophonie 1

"Mikrophonie 1" is a piece for tam-tam, 2 microphones and 2 electronic filters and controlers, created by Stockhausen in 1964. In this live piece, "the microphone is used actively as a musical instrument, in contrast to its former passive function of reproducing sounds as faithfully as possible" (K.S. 1971): just to reveal "inaudible vibrations", by an active process of sound detection.

 

"Mikrophonie 1" est une œuvre pour tam-tam, deux microphones ainsi que deux filtres et contrôleurs électroniques, créée par Stockhausen en 1964. Dans cette pièce pour concert, "le microphone est utilisé activement comme un instrument de musique, contrairement à sa fonction passive antérieure consistant à reproduire les sons aussi fidèlement que possible" (K.S. 1971) : il s'agit de révéler des "vibrations inaudibles" grâce à un processus actif de captation sonore.

 

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Stockhausen decided to categorize the sounds according to their perceived qualities: groaning, trumpeting, whirring, hooting, roaring, grating, chattering, wailing, sawing, ringing, choking, cawing, clacking, snorting, chirping, hissing, grunting, crunching, clinking, tromboning, scraping ...

(c.a.d. en français : gémir, claironner, vrombir, huer, rugir, griller, bavarder, se lamenter, scier, sonner, suffoquer, croasser, claquer, renifler, gazouiller, siffler, grogner, croquer, cliqueter, tromboner, gratter... )

"Mikrophonie 1", a pure piece of jewel : enjoy!



"I searched for ways to compose — flexibly — also the process of microphone recording. The microphone . . . would have to become a musical instrument and, on the other hand, through its manipulation, influence all the characteristics of the sounds. In other words, it would have to participate in forming the pitches — according to composed indications — harmonically and melodically, as well as the rhythm, dynamic level, timbre and spatial projection of the sounds." (K.S. 1971)

 

"J'ai cherché des moyens de composer — de manière flexible — le processus même de la prise de son au microphone. Le microphone... devait devenir un instrument de musique et, par sa manipulation, influencer toutes les caractéristiques des sons. En d'autres termes, il devait participer à la formation des hauteurs — selon des indications compositionnelles — tant sur le plan harmonique que mélodique, ainsi qu'à celle du rythme, de la dynamique, du timbre et de la projection spatiale des sons." (K.S. 1971)

 

& a personal tribute to K.S.  <<<here>>> 

 

this post was originaly published in 2013 

 

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Reflets et vitesse

 

”Jeux des reflets et de la vitesse” est un film d’avant-garde muet sous forme de  poème cinématographique de 1925 , réalisé par Henri Chomette (1896-1941) comme un stockshot d’expérimentations: animation de cercles et autres géométries graphiques, retournements d'images, procédés d'accélération avec le métro parisien, des visions de Paris et La Seine, des effets d'eau ...

 Plutôt méconnu, Henri Chomette est le frère aîné de René Clair. Il réalise en 1930 un des premiers films parlant tourné en France intitulé ”Le requin”, et aussi  en co-réalisation avec Arnold Fank le long métrage ”Rêve éternel” qui relate la première ascension du Mont Blanc de Jacques Balmat en 1760. 

 
"Jeux des reflets et de la vitesse" (Play of Reflections and Speed) is a silent avant-garde film—structured as a poem—made in 1925 by Henri Chomette (1896–1941). It serves as a showcase for cinematic experiments: circles, graphic patterns, image reversals, speed effects involving the Paris Métro, glimpses of Paris and the Seine, water effects, and more. 

Henri Chomette, the older brother of René Clair, a not well known figure, directed *Le Requin* in 1930, one of the first sound films made in France. He also co-directed the feature film *Rêve éternel* with the german film-maker Arnold Fank, a movie dramatizing the first ascent of Mont Blanc in 1760. 

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