AMG Review of Anthology of Noise & Electronic Music, Fourth A-Chronology, 1937-2005

Rob Theakston
All Music Guide

Anthology of Noise & Electronic Music, Vol. 4 is the latest installment in Sub Rosa's excellent series. Whereas the previous three volumes documenting the evolution of electronic and noise music concentrated on important historical sites and movements (Pierre Schaeffer's studio, Princeton's Electronic Music Center, and the WDR studio in Cologne), this edition travels the world highlighting the global advancements and contributions to musique concrète and electronic music from 1937 to 2005. Many of these performances are committed to CD for the first time, including the work of composer Halim El-Dabh, whose "Wire Recorder Piece" stands up as a revolutionary pre-musique concrète composition. A blend of modern-day innovators such as Steve Reich, Erik M, and Alvin Lucier balance out performances from such luminaries as Jean-Claude Risset, Olivier Messiaen, and György Ligeti. It's a bit overwhelming to digest at two full-length discs, but documents truly essential moments in a rich history of exploration, including recent advancements in countries not really well known for their contributions to electronic music, such as China and Brazil. With extensive liner notes and beautiful packaging, Sub Rosa once again does the electronic music community a wonderful service by preserving much of this material with such a pristine presentation. Well worth investigating for students of sound art, electronic music, and the avant-garde.