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And so on to Annea Lockwood, who has been recording and performing since the 60's. Her work has mostly been in the performance art circuit rather than the concert hall, but her work on this disc is nevertheless interesting.
In his short story, Track 12, JG Ballard - the great British author - tells the story of three characters, Sherringham and his wife, Susan, and Maxted. Sherringham has developed a love for "Microsonics", the amplification of small almost inaudible sounds - such as that of a pin dropping. He compiles a soundtrack of these works for the visit of Maxted, who we learn is having an affair with Sherringham's wife. As the soundtrack plays, and Maxted is asked to guess at the origin of the strange sounds emanating from the speakers, we have a gradual ratcheting of tension. Indeed, the last sound Maxted hears, is a slow purring illicit kiss captured by hidden microphones.
Annea, like Sherringham in the Ballard tale Track 12, is interested in microtones, the sounds we simply don't hear either because they are so faint, or inconsequential.
Lockwood is most famous for her work with glass, and pianos. Her glass installations were made up of glass in all it guises: bottles, jugs, windows, thin flexible strips, etc. These items are struck, bowed, or lightly touched - and the sound is then greatly amplified. What we get then are sounds that may, or may not, be recognizable. Sometimes we hear the essence of something, some electronic sounding drone, with others you instantly know what is being played. The only processing that takes place is amplification. But more importantly, as an audience we're invited to not only imagine what the sound actually is, but what it might be, could be. To dismiss this only as a lady banging on glass is to deny yourself some childlike play. If you can't let go, let your imagination run amok, then what you've lost isn't simply an appreciation of this music, but rather a way of life that makes us individuals. Lockwood is playful rather than earnest (she event throws in the odd animal noise), so rather than sit and take this too seriously, enjoy it on all levels.
Her work with pianos is equally interesting, but sadly isn't given voice here. The CD I'm featuring is beautifully put together. It ships in a fold out digipac with two booklets and a nice inner sleeve protecting the disc itself - old school!
