The Furman University Percussion Ensemble - Matthew Burtner: 6 Ecoacoustic Quintets & Avian Telemetry (2020) [Hi-Res]

Ravello Records is proud to release SIX ECOACOUSTIC QUINTETS / AVIAN TELEMETRY, the newest album from Matthew Burtner. In collaboration with Omar Carmenates, the Furman Percussion Ensemble, and the Shi Center for Sustainability, Burtner’s compositions incorporate avian biology, soundscape ecology, romantic-period British poetry, ecoacoustic music, and avant-garde percussion performance. And if you find all that surprising, you’re not familiar with the work of these two innovative groups.

Six Ecoacoustic Quintets is an in-depth exploration of the elemental relationships humankind shares with nature and the environment. With sensuous clarity, we hear the sounds of water splashing and lapping, of stones clattering, of air whispering—all noises so fundamental that the ear recognizes them with prehistoric instinctiveness. Joining these natural elements are percussion instruments and electronics which, together, express the complexities of human nature.

Just as stirring is Avian Telemetry, a piece based on the study of bird songs, and particularly the finding that these songs have risen in pitch over the years. Again, these sounds from nature are interwoven with electronic music and avant-garde percussion performance. This time, another surprising element is added to the mix: British Romantic-era poetry. The stanzas drift throughout the performance, helping to direct the mood through subtle suggestion.

This latest release from Burtner pairs the keen sensibilities of two formidable artists. The result is a body of music that is rooted in the incomparable gravity and timelessness of nature itself. A powerful statement about humankind’s place in the ecological world and the responsibility that comes with it, SIX ECOACOUSTIC QUINTETS / AVIAN TELEMETRY is a collection of music that will dare you to listen closely to the world around you.