Search - Tony Conrad :: Fantastic Glissando

Music For Open Ears.

Louie Bourland | Garden Grove CA | 02/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tony Conrad is a master of the drone. He was also a pioneer of minimalism and experimental music during the 1960's. While Conrad primarily has made a name for himself as a violinist, he despenses of any 'real' instruments for his composition "Fantastic Glissando".

Composed and originally released in 1969, "Fantastic Glissando" finds Tony Conrad experimenting with the pure electronic sounds of sine wave tones which slowly glide from their lowest point to the extreme highest.

The album opens with the original unaltered version of the piece which is followed by four "Process" variations of the same piece. With each "Process" piece, Conrad deliberately adds more distortion each time. By the time the fourth and final "Process" is introduced, the piece becomes as much a study in white noise as it is a study in sine wave tones.

Granted, "Fantastic Glissando" won't be for everyone. However, if you're a fan of extreme experimental music that is a departure from the norm, this CD is a perfect listen and demands absolute concentration while listening."