80 episodes
Now and Xen Now and Xen
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- Music
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4.6 • 14 Ratings
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The podcast about contemporary microtonal and xenharmonic music, launched by Sevish and led by Stephen Weigel.
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079 - Melopœia
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
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
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http://nowandxen.libsyn.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA
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078 - Christopher Otto (JACK quartet)
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
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
Follow
http://nowandxen.libsyn.com
https://twitter.com/now_xen
https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
Subscribe
RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH…
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA
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077 - Noah Jordan
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
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
Follow
http://nowandxen.libsyn.com
https://twitter.com/now_xen
https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
Subscribe
RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH…
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA
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076 - Matthew Sheeran
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 -
075 - Saad Haddad
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)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
Follow
http://nowandxen.libsyn.com
https://twitter.com/now_xen
https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
Subscribe
RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH…
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA
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074 - Sevish and benyamind (Big Sway)
After this episode, be sure to check out the new Sevish album, “Big Sway!” Myself, Sevish, and benyamind have a classic microtonal chat about all things fun and intervallic, covering topics such as intuitive tunings, voice manipulation (vocoding, autotuning, etc.), perfectionism, going gridless, expectations, and communication and accessibility within the microtonal community. Several instruments get the spotlight, such as Sevish’s new microtonal keyboards, the Lumatone, melodica, and saxophone! We also stretch some tunings out for 22-edo Lambda, and frolic about in JI with harmonic series segments.
Check out the new Sevish album:
https://sevish.bandcamp.com/album/big-sway
Our stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/@Sevish
https://www.youtube.com/@benyamind
https://www.youtube.com/@stephenweigel
Support us on Patreon! (If we get 60 patrons, episodes will be released regularly instead of sporadically)
https://www.patreon.com/nowandxen
Follow
http://nowandxen.libsyn.com
https://twitter.com/now_xen
https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
Subscribe
RSS: http://nowandxen.libsyn.com/rss
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n…
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mhnGsH…
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nowxen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/now_xen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nowxen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnmYNMpemAIq8DnK5HJ9gsA
Customer Reviews
Learning about the hidden notes
Each episode of "Now & Xen" features discussions of microtonal or xenharmonic music. If you ever wondered about possible musical notes and tunings beyond the ones we know, this podcast might interest you. Several episodes feature interviews with musicians and performers who use microtonal music and working in a variety of idioms, from pop and rock to classical music. A couple of early episodes also address the construction or adaptation of instruments for microtonal scales, software for music production, and the theory behind scale formation. Some discussions are dense for people like myself, with little to no formal music theory or training, but you will also hear clips from compositions or songs, and you don't need to have a background in music to open your ears and listen. You are certain to learn something about those hidden notes if you check out "Now&Xen."
Thanks + Examples?
Thank you for doing this! Excited to see where you guys take it. Would be really nice to hear examples of the phenomena that you describe in your talks...!