While not strictly ‘ambient’ music, one of the most interesting things I read about within this chapter is how author David Toop writes about the artist Angus Maclise and his work within the Theatre of Eternal Music with La Monte Young, who was a pioneer of early minimalism and post-war avante garde music.
“He belongs with a shadowy group of New York
bohemians, shapers and shape-shifters of art movements in
the 1960s before they became mass movements” [1]
This is my favourite excerpt from the chapter, Toop’s deliberate choice to write about Maclise in a vague, almost mythical way is what truly engaged me with the rest of the chapter. If being in the original lineup of the legendary rock band ‘The Velvet Underground’ wasn’t cool enough, David Toop explains how Maclise never officially recorded with band – and cannot be heard on any of their albums. This almost poetic style of writing plays very well into the spiritual nature of ambient music and builds an aesthetic within the chapter titled ‘altered states iii: crystal world’.
La Monte also spoke about the way Maclise created music, and how he found inspiration in nature and the rain more specifically. The two became closer because of this since La Monte composed according to classical composer Debussy’s maxim: “Listen to the words of no man; listen only
to the sounds of the wind and the waves of the sea,” [1]. I am quite familiar with Debussy so this connection seemed quite surprising to me – especially after hearing the chaotic nature of Theatre Of Eternal Music compared to the angelic meditative qualities of Debussy’s compositions. On further reflection however I began to understand how this maxim could be interpreted in opposing ways – with La Monte Young hearing the ocean and skies as untameable forces that should be feared rather than beauty that should be worshiped or celebrated like perhaps Debussy saw the world.
“I do not practise religion in accordance with the sacred rites. I have made mysterious Nature my religion. I do not believe that a man is any nearer to God for being clad in priestly garments, nor that one place in a town is better adapted to meditation than another.” [2] – Claude Debussy
La Monte Young – Theatre Of Eternal Music 1960 & 1963
[1] Toop, D. (1995). Ocean of Sound.
[2] Vallas, L. (1973). Claude Debussy, His Life and Works.