ECM is responsible for exposing me to so many styles of music and artists. I am one who trusts the label to the point of ordering cd's without listening to them first. I have NEVER been disappointed. This is why I hold Manfred Eicher in such high esteem. He has accomplished so much through the label. ECM is the standard bearer for contemporary music in my opinion. Thank you Mr. Eicher!
Anytime you get Manfred Eicher to speak about Editions of Contemporary Music seriously, it is a pearl of wisdom to be treasured. Mr. Eicher has had such impact on music in this lifetime and the next. He is also not someone you hear and see in such a setting. Great work and great insight into THE MAN.
In minute 1:15:15, this is a very important part. It is what really defines this type of music/genre/label, just like Windham Hill and few others. It is the very concept of having to spare your time to PAY ATTENTION to it, and how you do it. This is what really divides this music with the rest, it's the fact that it requires your human spirit, which needs to be in connection. Treating a song as mere background sound is disparaging.
Thank you for pointing out this part of the interview, which otherwise is very poor on the interviewer's part. Its too bad that general public perception of music has de-evolved to the want it fast / want now lifestyle as Manfred said ".. music is more than jumping from track to track.."
It's really interesting: the unbrigdeable schism between the creative who knows, feels, experiences art from the inside of it, and the critic looking at it from outside, trying to be witty and knowledgeable, but actually not having a clue. AND very often Gary's too busy fiddeling with his Ipod instead of listening to an answer Eicher gives (52:15). A program about sound and quality with such bad sound quality is a sad laugh in itself. But: amazing work, Manfred!
Yeah, and Eicher did the right thing! The questioner could have asked Eicher a once in a life time question but instead resorted to asking a self absorbed question. What a classless act.
This interviewer undoubtedly ranks among the worst I have ever seen. In an unprecedentedly rare extended interview with one of the greatest producers of all time he has decided to play some compressed excerpts from his favorite ECM recordings through his dinky ipod. Half the time he doesn't even extrapolate on the recordings he just played. Without a shred of empathy he just unloads a barrage of stupid questions about cover art and record contracts while Eicher literally squirms in his chair, at one point Eicher even checks his watch!! Thank you so much Mr. Giddins for ensuring that one of the great arbiters of art will not be returning to America for an interview any time soon. What a waste.
Giddins treats his hour with a genius like a giddy tourist trying to see everything before packing himself back on board the cruise ship, souvenirs in hand and belly full (with snapshots to impose on the relatives). Why, for instance, conflate a question about album cover art and typography with a belated afterthought about sound? Why not ask the obvious follow up question to Eicher's ominous reference to recording sessions taking longer today? This ADHD approach is the antithesis of ECM!
gary s questions are fine for what they are. many are obvious, but the cruel and anger of some of the opinions listed below, the reviewers should grow up..!!!!!
