AMERICAN HIGHWAYS #16 ex materia: Christopher Culpo
In this episode of American Highways, pianist Guy Livingston brings us the music of a composer for whom ‘anything goes’ or rather, ‘nothing goes’. We discuss titles, abstraction, Gyorgi Ligeti, Fats Waller, Ornette Coleman, and Emily Dickinson.
Christopher Culpo, an American composer and pianist has been living in Paris for more than twenty years. In tonight’s show we’ll hear music he’s composed for jazz ensembles, for string quartet, and for orchestra.
More at www.GuyLivingston.com/radio
Theme Music :
Steve Reich. The Desert Music (1984)
First Movement (Fast).
Chorus of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Michael Tilson Thomas & William Carlos Williams.
Nonesuch Records 79101.
Christopher Culpo
1. Of Ground, or Air, or Ought
The Locrian Chamber Players.
March 13, 2014 at Riverside Church, New York City
György Ligeti
2. VII. Cantabile, molto legato Musica ricercata
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano.
Sony Classical SK 62308
Christopher Culpo
3. Canti Ritmici for string quartet. mvt. 5.
Koehne Quartet.
August 7, 2015, Argekulture, Salzburg.
Thelonius Monk
4. Well You Needn’t
Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron.
Nel Jazz NLJ 959-2
Christopher Culpo
5. Murmurations for orchestra, mvt 3.
Orchestre Nationale de France.
Recorded at Radio France, April 2013
Fats Waller
6. The Joint Is Jumpin’
RCA 730.570/74
Conlon Nancarrow
7. Study for Player Piano No. 21 (Canon X)
Wergo 6907-2
Christopher Culpo
8. Reflection and Rotation
Fresh Frozen Trio: Achille Succi, clarinets and alto saxophone. Galuco Benedetti, tuba. Christopher Culpo, piano.
El Gallo Rojo CD 314-62 (also on iTunes, and Google play)
Christopher Culpo
9. Paper Doves
Christopher Culpo, piano. Jean-Charles Richard, soprano sax. Peter Herbert, contrabass.
Cristal Records CD CRCD05-05
Christopher Culpo
10. Emilygrams mvt 5
Ensemble 2e2m and soprano Rayanne Dupuis.
Recorded at Radio France in September 2002
George Gershwin
11. Embraceable You
Ornette Coleman Quartet (Donald Cherry, tpt. Ed Blackwell, drums. Charlie Haden, cb).
Atlantic 7567-80767-2
