ANTS RECORDS

Here is a new, exciting, step in the discover of the genius of

John White, the maverick master of British Experimental

Music. This double CD represent one of a thousand in

between the musical facets of his enormous output.

As Dave Smith says in his liner notes: "Most of the pieces

recorded here date from the period 1984-6. They reveal a

delight in exploring areas of contradiction, particularly linear

and rhythmic, within an unlikely sound-world in which

parameters such as volume, timbre, texture and speed remain

fixed. As a contrast, scattered through the album are five

brief, apparently zany Nintentions from 1993.

(...)

John’s attitude to electronic machinery has often been

relatively lo-fi (at times, decidedly so) as demonstrated in the

recordings of Livebatts! - a performing trio featuring battery-

driven instruments with Jiggs Coldiron and Andrea Rocca. The

sound sources used on the present recordings are closer to

those of pop musicians of the time and the general approach

can be considered in opposition to the laborious and

expensive world of institutional electro-acoustic music."

In the words of John White: "(Electronics) It’s like flower

arrangement - just picking out things which were there

before you... it’s a perfect medium for irony".

These pieces are the perfect counterpoint to the visual

works of Surrealists and Dadaists, whose unusual, ironic and

disturbing beauty is well summarized by the infamous

Lautréamont's quote: "Beautiful like the chance-meeting on a

dissecting table of a sewing-machine and an umbrella".

John White was born in Berlin in 1936. He studied piano with

Arthur Alexander and Eric Harrison, and composition with

Bernard Stevens at the Royal College of Music.

Since that time, he has been continually active as a

composer, performer and teacher. His career includes

composing and directing music for the theatre, ballet,

experimental music and in electronic ensembles.

John has headed the music department at the Drama Centre,

London and performed as a solo pianist and accompanist.

These have included the Promenade Theatre Orchestra,

Hobbs-White Duo, Garden Furniture Music Ensemble, Farewell

Symphony Orchestra, Nordic Reverie Trio, Instant Dismissal

Symphony Orchestra, Lower Edmonton Latin Lovers’ Choral

Society. He also formed the ensemble Live Batts!, originally

with Christopher Hobbs, then in its final form, as a trio with

MJ Coldiron and Andrea Rocca, featuring unusual

combinations of instruments and other sound sources.

In the 1960s and 70s, he was closely associated with English

experimental composers. During that time, he invented the

British form of Minimalism known as ‘systems music’.

John has played bass trombone with the Royal Ballet Touring

Orchestra and tuba in the London Gabrieli Brass Ensemble. In

addition, John has toured widely as a piano recitalist

specialising in late Romantic music, in particular Erik Satie.

In theatre music, he has composed scores for the Royal

Shakespeare Company. Productions and has also composed

many products for the Royal National Theatre and various

regional theatres. Lastly, he has provided musical direction of

the Western Theatre Ballet and numerous musicals in

London’s West End.

Several recordings of his music are available; notably most of

his Piano Sonatas (now counting near 200) were recorded by

important performers as Roger Smalley and Jonathan Powell.

The album LIVEBATTS!, with pieces from the end of the 90s,

was released by ANTS in 2018.

track list

CD1

1. The Merry Samurai’s Return From Work (7:22)

2. Idleburger Salsa (3:45)

3. Nintentions 1 (1:22)

4. Singles Bar (4:25)

5. Fluter's Tango (8:49)

6. Nintentions 2 (1:05)

7. Boschwalzer (4:49)

8. 11th Symphony (38:32)

CD2

1. Breakfast at the Academy of Martial Arts (6:44)

2. Trent's Theme (from "The Assignment") (3:44)

3. Nintentions 3 (1:05

4. Blues Theme (from "The Assignment") (4:31)

5. Russian Tea Room (from "The Assignment") (6:44)

6. Nintentions 4 (2:32)

7. Tyrolean Apres-Ski Muzak (5:22)

8. Ricercar (14:48)

9. Nintentions 5 (2:08)

10. 16th Symphony (14:31)

11. Sitcom Theme (from "A Piece Of My Mind") (0:46)

released 10/12/2020