Now and Xen Now and Xen

This huge episode features three vastly different conversations, each with prominent members of a respective microtonal music discord.

(1) Xenharmonic Alliance (ground, anomaly, xenoindex, Frédéric Gagné, HEHEHE I AM A SUPAHSTAR SAGA)
Hyperspace Odyssey [21edo] - from Adxenture EP
Serendipitous Arrival [26edo] - from Adxenture EP
Liminal City Escalators [17edo and/or 18edo] - from Gone Too Deep EP
Six Macrotonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media (8 NOTES)
Outro/Transition: Into the Spoogalaxy [15edo, 17-tone tempered 2.3.7.29 ternary scale]
(2) Xendergarten (ground, Userminusone, tristan bay)
Orangerion [7edo] - Userminusone
Pitchblende [27edo] - tristan bay
Outro: Ashes of the Journey [37edo] - from Adxenture EP
(3) Staffcirc (nikshalark, SoapDrip)
Miasmania [0edo] - Promatsik
Cute microtonal piano piece [17edo arr. Hesangasong]
Shimmering Shapes [15edo] - doctorn0gloff
Outro: no rest so sure ft. Nickshalark [13edo + 12edo???] - Soapdrip
 
Links to discord servers, people, and music!
https://discord.gg/vSEgr5AA
https://discord.gg/qgQKCQAD
https://www.youtube.com/@HEHEHEIAMASUPAHSTARSAGA
https://www.youtube.com/@adamfreese
https://www.youtube.com/@fredg999music
https://www.youtube.com/@groundfault
https://www.youtube.com/@Userminusone
https://userminusone.bandcamp.com/
https://tristanbay.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@tristanbay
https://www.instagram.com/whoistristanbay/
https://x.com/pngsequence?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/gabiandthewhats/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBXpOPeQFYY&list=PLLZE7hMjEXRZ6U5VYkXguiYZk5aZZ7OA0
https://www.youtube.com/@staffcirc
https://soundcloud.com/nikshalark
https://soapdrip.bandcamp.com/
https://sexytoadsandfrogsfriendcircle.bandcamp.com/album/staffcirc-vol-7-terra-octava
https://sexytoadsandfrogsfriendcircle.bandcamp.com/album/staffcirc-vol-7b-luna-octava
 
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Xenharmonic black metal project Melopœia consists of Brian Leong, Jon Lervold, and Dave Tremblay. Their albums are inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein, and features his direct text both sung, and by mapping the letters of the text to different notes of 26-tone equal temperament. Their latest album utilizing this is “Valaquenta,” be sure to catch the latest track “Varda” which we discuss and play in the episode! Their earlier album, “Ainulindalë,” used the same method of starting the album and then uploading tracks one at a time as completed.  

Intro: Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET
Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET
Melopœia - But an Instrument [Ainulindalë] 26-TET
Melopœia - But an Instrument [Ainulindalë] 26-TET
Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET
Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET
Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET
Melopœia - Ilúvatar’s Chord [Ainulindalë] 26-TET
Outro: Melopœia - Varda [Valaquenta] 26-TET
 
Melopœia’s Bandcamp:
https://melopoeia.bandcamp.com/album/valaquenta
https://melopoeia.bandcamp.com/album/ainulindal
 
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Chat about contemporary music, composition, and just intonation with us in this theoretically adventurous and wide ranging episode. Christopher Otto, composer and violinist, works with the JACK quartet, a group that has played the music of such individuals as John Zorn, Tristan Perich, Cenk Ergün, Tyshawn Sorey, Catherine Lamb, Georg Frederich Haas, Dan Trueman, and many, many, more.

Intro: Christopher Otto (jack quartet) rag’sma 
Catherine Lamb - divisio spiralis (mvt. II)
Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 (storm section low notes)
Vicente Atria - Seasons Will Pass You By
Christopher Otto (jack quartet) rag’sma 
Christopher Otto - 3x5x7 (loadbang)
Christopher Otto - violin octet (d1)
LaMonte Young - Trio for Strings (Part 4 out of 8)
LaMonte Young - Trio for Strings (Part 4 out of 8) - demo of 17 “equalizing” 9/8
Vicentino - Madonna il poco dolce (31edo) Stephen Weigel cover
Christopher Otto - 3x4x5 (Weslos)
Outro: Christopher Otto (jack quartet) rag’sma 
 
Rag’sma:
https://greyfade-label.bandcamp.com/album/ragsma
 
Christopher and JACK’s links:
https://christopherotto.space/
https://www.jackquartet.com/
https://christopherotto.bandcamp.com/album/3x4x5
 
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Take a magical tour with us through some of Noah Dean Jordan’s microtonal instruments (including the requinto), including improvised performances! Be sure to check out the “Noah Dean Jordan” account on Bandcamp as well as the “Nueva Armonica” account!

Intro: I Was Once a River (Rock Creek II)
Outro: I Was Once a River (Te Quiero Verde)
 
Check out Noah’s work on the requinto:
https://noahdeanjordan.bandcamp.com/album/i-was-once-a-river
https://nuevaarmonia.bandcamp.com/album/remembering-cloud-forms-microtonal-studies-for-13-limit-requinto-and-violin
 
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Today’s episode celebrates the culmination of a years-long project with Matthew Sheeran, widely celebrated composer, orchestrator, and arranger. The album we’ve been working on is called “Acoustic Microtonal,” and it is a recording of Easley Blackwood’s Twelve Microtonal Etudes using acoustic instruments, playing monophonic lines in isolation and then being re-tuned using Melodyne. Matthew commissioned the Budapest Scoring Orchestra to achieve this huge compositional feat. Check out our episode here for the largest dive into the notes and chords behind the music, and be sure to check out the full album in all its glory!
 
The album:
https://cedillerecords.lnk.to/3019
 
Episode music:
Intro: Blackwood – 23 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Hesangasang score)
Blackwood – 16 notes (original)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Blackwood – 17 notes (12-TET scordatura)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Vicentino – Madonna il poco dolce (Jonathan Wilde version)
Blackwood – 13 notes (original)
Blackwood – 13 notes (12-TET version with diminished 3rd)
Blackwood – 14 notes (original)
Poulenc – Sextet for piano and winds
Blackwood – 14 notes (original)
Blackwood – 14 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 14 notes (original)
Blackwood – 14 notes (Stephen Malinowski video clip)
Blackwood – 14 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 15 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – Suite for 15 tone guitar
Stephen Weigel – open guitar chords in 15 video clip
Blackwood – 15 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Stephen Weigel – What if we played EB’s 15 note etude in 12 video clip
Blackwood – 16 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 16 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 17 notes (original)
Blackwood – 18 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 18 notes (isolated flute in Matthew Sheeran version)
Stravinsky – The Firebird Suite (Dance of King Kaschei)
Blackwood – 18 notes (original)
Blackwood – 19 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 19 notes (original)
Blackwood – 20 notes (original)
Henri Duparc – La vie antérieure
Blackwood – 20 notes (original)
Blackwood – 21 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 21 notes (12-TET version with Hendrix chord)
Blackwood – 21 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 22 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 23 notes (original)
Blackwood – 23 notes (Matthew Sheeran Kontakt arrangement – different orchestration)
Blackwood – 23 notes (isolated harp in Matthew Sheeran version)
Blackwood – 14 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 14 notes (Matthew Sheeran version – comparing 12 and 14)
Blackwood – 23 notes (12-TET version)
Blackwood – 23 notes (Matthew Sheeran version – comparing 12 and 23)
Blackwood – 19 notes (Matthew Sheeran version cello ending)
Blackwood – 24 notes (original)
Blackwood – 24 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Stephen Weigel – 11 notes (original)
Stephen Weigel  – 11 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Stephen Weigel – 7 notes (Matthew Sheeran Kontakt arrangement)
Blackwood – 15 notes (Stephen Weigel version)
Stephen Weigel – keyboard fingering for 11-TET
Stephen Weigel  – 11 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
Stephen Weigel – 7 notes (original)
Stephen Weigel – 7 notes (Matthew Sheeran Kontakt arrangement)
Blackwood – 18 notes (original)
Stephen Weigel – Zones of Lasting Novelty (9-TET)
Ben Johnston – String quartet  No. 7 (guide tracks only)
Blackwood – Gulliver’s Travels (23-TET)
Matthew Sheeran – Lyres of Ur (7-TET)
Outro: Blackwood – 17 notes (Matthew Sheeran version)
 
Matthew’s stuff:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7401095/
https://www.youtube.com/@matthewsheeran1989/videos
https://soundcloud.com/user698273169
https://smatalent.com/matt-sheeran/
 
Microtonal Etudes a

In this episode, we discuss composition and performance with composer Saad Haddad. One prominent topic - the challenges involved working with orchestras and large ensembles playing microtonal music, and logistics of the industry. We also discuss ideas of east vs. west, style infiltration, using minimal sets of pitches, and maqam.
 
Music:
Vortex Temporum - Gérard Grisey
Vignettes - Saad Haddad
Aysheen (demo) - Saad Haddad
Outro: Aysheen (demo) - Saad Haddad 
 
Saad has his own podcast! (check it out):
https://www.youtube.com/@saadhaddadshow
 
Other links:
https://www.saadnhaddad.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPIEc4WKDbeemLQAqyhIUsA
 
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
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