[CP 009-099 CD] Reinhold Weber; Elektronische Musik (x2), Elektronische + Phonetische Kompositionen, Computermusik

2017 reédition of this early Creel Pone title; this replica edition includes all of the material from Reinhold Weber's two Corona-label LPs, "Elektronische Musik" & "Elektronische + Phonetische Kompositionen" - Creel Pones #009 & #099, respectively - along with everything from his two later Sound Star Ton LPs (again) "Elektronische Musik" & "Computermusik", all on four separate discs. Those who have already acquired the first two titles in earlier sweeps can simply purchase the CP 009-099.2 package to acquire the remainder; similarly, those wanting only his formative work are welcome to purchase the CP-009-099.1 set. 

Individual assessments are as follows:

"Elektronische Musik" (Corona)

Here’s the ninth entry in the Creel Pone series; an obscure title even for followers of post Eimert / Beyer “Elektronische Musik.” This covers a wide range of concepts that make it perfect for the series, ones which I will now outline:

1). Composed & recorded in 1968-1970
2). Consisting of crude, Lo-Fi Tape Manipulation and Tone Generation studies which
3). Deal both with the implications of the Creation Myth and the Music of the Spheres.

The first piece contains a bit of spoken German text delivered in a sort of “Academic Dead-Pan” through a Tape Delay, but these are all short iterations interspersed with some clearly demonically-possessed “Ghost in the Machine” type Synthesis & Feedback histrionics generated in a traditional WDR-lineage fashion - surplus Tone Generators and Signal Modifiers. The second piece is pure gold with its “Runaway Train” Tape-Speed manipulations & loud atonal blasts of Random Bleeping, rife with messy edits and saturated / overloaded fidelity throughout.

"Elektronische + Phonetische Kompositionen" (Corona)

Superb set of “Electronic & Phonetic Compositions” from German composer Reinhold Weber, replicating a 1974 Corona-label pressing - his second for the label. Realized at the Studio for Electronic Music at Karlsruhe university, these remarkably prescient compositions are largely by and of the WDR-school ethos of “Pure Synthesis” - certainly the first five or so pieces, each extremely bleep-heavy, often featuring multiple, interlocking layers of self-oscillating patternage into a maze of heavily gained, reverb & tape-echo-soaked bliss.

Then there’s “Missa Fonetica für Eine Elektronisch Verfremdete Stimme" - a voice-transformation piece on pair with Eimert’s earlier “Epitaph für Aikichi Kuboyama” - maybe even more scatter-shot and volume-damaged throughout - & the final, closing scroll of “Gammaexpress” - containing more ideas-per-edit than than the entire Bvhaast WDR overview combined.

This is now the second time i’ve been bowled over by Weber’s vision - dareisay even moreso. Definitely one for the early-bleep and/or short-attention-span sets.

"Elektronische Musik" (Sound-Star-Ton)

Released in 1988 & covering his later works from 1982-1987, the proceedings still maintain the astonishing grasp Weber displays on his Analogue Electronic Music home studio across 8 discrete pieces, albeit with an upgraded timbral spec. A more clinical air prevails, although there are many great detours into more psychedelic sensibilities. 

"Computermusik" (Sound-Star-Ton)

Released on vinyl, oddly, in 1994, this LP covers Weber's Computer Music works across an astonishing 64-minute playing time - on a single-LP no less! Consisting largely of two suites from 1989 & 1991, this is prime late 80s digital-FM bonk & scatter, with riffs on "Music of the Spheres" and a jaunty little number called "Dance of the Trolls".