La Monte Young – Pre-Tortoise Dream Music

“The Theater of Eternal Music performed music consisting of long sustained tones and unconventional harmonic combinations, which were explored via improvisation restricted by strict ‘laws’ laid out by La Monte Younge regarding allowable sequences and simultaneities. Combed with Younge‘s interested in sustained tones and Hindustani classical music was Tony Conrad’s knowledge of just intonation and the mathematics of non-Western tuning.” Younge: “It is significant that Pre-Tortoise Dream Music is the earliest example of anything recorded or written that can be considered to be a part of The Tortoise. Clearly, I composed the scale, listed all of the possible chordal combinations, and indicated qualitative judgments about their musical potential, as well as determined that we would use extended time durations for the overall length, and long sustained tones, intervals and chords to create the musical texture. I also played characteristic melodic patterns on the sopranino saxophone, which the group imitated and gradually absorbed into the ongoing melodic characteristic.”

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