Track 8 from the Cloudland Blue Quartet LP "Auden"
The creation of this LP inadvertently started with the death of Burt Bacharach. On the announcement of his passing, I was in the midst of a new project to record "songs I like" (some of which have now been released as "GLAM!") and, so, there were many by Mr B, written with Hal David, which came into that bracket.
I sourced some tracks and set about recording 8 Bacharach songs - it would have been 9 but I discovered I don't really "know" "The Look of Love" despite loving it.
So it goes.
And so, a new CBQ EP was issued on Bandcamp.
However, two days later, when I googled "Cloudland Blue Bandcamp", the first thing that came up was an offer from Bandcamp to report one of the songs for possible copyright infringement, or, indeed, my whole site.
So I took the Bacharach EP down (but see below!)
Following that disappointment, I set about working on this LP, a new idea, setting the poetry of W H Auden to piano music, re two books of his texts bought a while back, most likely with just such a thing in mind.
On the first day of recording, one new piece, "Voltaire at Ferny", which closes out the album, with synth and rhythm track also included, was created.
The next day, I threw myself into the project and recorded vocals for another 7 pieces, with the intention of adding further instrumentation at some point.
By the end of the morning, I had the beginnings of a new 8 track song-based LP but, it seemed, still with plenty of work to do.
I moved on and worked, recorded and released five other projects in the meantime ("Saturn Sleet Rise Effect", "Dissolution III", the aforementioned "GLAM!", "Bartok" and "The Neu! Variations"), along with collaborations and remixes for various music associates.
As for "Auden", I decided not to re-record the vocals but to try and use those first takes to retain that spontaneity. It took at least four different mixes before I was satisfied with the relationship between my voice and the piano.
But, at last, five months on from the quick recording process, the album is ready - now with the added bonuses for downloaders of versions of each song with a rhythm bed, which gives a whole new dynamic to the pieces, along with instrumental ambient mixes (almost 2 hours of extra music for downloaders).
This may seem like a strange release from Cloudland Blue Quartet but it's one I am really enjoying listening to at present and hope you will too!
David Reilly
Edinburgh
6 July 2023
P.S. If you purchase "Auden", please e-mail me at
crispycat@hotmail.com and I'll send you the now deleted "Bacharach & David" 8 song EP as a further bonus!
credits
released July 7, 2023
David Reilly - Vocals, Piano, Field Recordings (Ambient Mixes), Rhythm Beds (Rhythm Mixes)
Words by W H Auden
Melodies by David Reilly
Recorded at Crispycat Studio, Edinburgh, UK, 12, 13 February 2023
Rhythm Mixes created 11 June 2023
Final Main Mix 2 July 2023
Ambient Mixes 3 & 6 July 2023
Words taken from:-
W.H. Auden "Collected Longer Poems" (Faber & Faber 1968)
"New Year Letter Pt 2" (excerpt)
"New Year Letter Pt 3" (excerpts)
"Advent" (excerpt)
"The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue (to John Betjeman) Pt 3: The Seven Stages" (excerpt)
W.H. Auden "Collected Shorter Poems 1927-1957" (Faber & Faber 1966)
"The Watchers"
"Brussels in Winter"
"Voltaire at Ferney"
Cover: Treated 1960 portrait of Wystan Hugh Auden by Richard Avedon
For best results, please listen on headphones, in the dark
(p) 2023 Crispycat Recordings
Produced by David Reilly
Executive Producer : Anne Reilly
Bonus Tracks Exclusive to Downloaders (118:07)
9-16 Rhythm Mixes of each of the tracks (37:39)
17-24 Ambient Mixes of each of the tracks (80:28)
Also specially available, only on request and only to downloaders, the now deleted "The Bacharach & David EP" - 8 Songs - 25 minutes - recorded 10 February 2023.