{"title":"Harry Bertoia","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"sonambient-complete-collection","title":"Sonambient - Complete Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003e11 LPs, 80 page booklet box set covering renowned sculptor Harry Bertoia’s Sonambient era. Recordings of Bertoia’s metal sculptures and gongs upon activation. Only 1 album previously released during Bertoia’s lifetime; other 10 released posthumously. Now collected together for first time ever.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarry Bertoia’s Complete Sonambient LP Collection, featuring all 11 of Bertoia’s original records newly restored from their master tapes and housed in replica jackets. A deluxe box, printed with metallic inks and tip-on style print assembly, holds the 11 discs as well as a 80 page book containing a lengthy historic essay, Smithsonian interview with Harry Bertoia, exclusive Sonambient era material from the Bertoia archive, modern and archival photos of the Bertoia barn as well as reflections on Bertoia from various contributors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeginning in the 1950’s, renowned sculptor Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) created the term Sonambient to describe the sound and environment created by his beautiful metal sculptures which, when activated, created shimmering ambient drones and lush harmonic overtones. He curated a massive selection of his sculptures and gongs resulting in a harmonious orchestra of his metal works and recorded these sound experiments late into the night. Bertoia dedicated the last twenty years of his life to his sound work and in 1970 he released the first \u003ci\u003eSonambient\u003c\/i\u003e LP. In 1978, in the final months of his life, he selected tapes from his archive and produced 10 more records but wouldn't live long enough to see them through production, but they became legendary releases (and quite valuable) in the art\/audio world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Third Man","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP | x11","offer_id":50456188649803,"sku":"1137099","price":239.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/32ff433a-2e8c-4622-99d0-bc9e795b7280_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727196883"},{"product_id":"experimental-i-mechanical-i","title":"Experimental I \/ Mechanical I","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen \u003cb\u003eHarry Bertoia\u003c\/b\u003e's Sonambient label was resurrected, Important Records' intention was to tell the story of Bertoia's groundbreaking Sonambient work as revealed through his extensive collection of notes and recordings. When the first new LP was released in 2016, Important were only in possession of 1\/20th of the archive. Now, in 2019, the label is excited to release the first LP of new material from the full archive and they present it to increase understanding of what Bertoia was doing in his sound-barn deep in the Pennsylvania woods. The recordings contained on this LP were selected because of their relationship to Bertoia's body of recorded work. The titles are from Bertoia's notes which Bertoia placed in each tape box, indicating date and describing briefly. Like his sculptures, Bertoia never titled his recordings but frequently referred to specific concepts he was pursuing. These are among the earliest known examples of Bertoia using terms which would become more common in the years to come: \"experimental\", \"mechanical\", and \"long sounds\". Cut from the original master tapes maintaining a straight analog signal path. CD version includes bonus track \"Long Sounds\".\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Experimental I\": Very few of Bertoia's early experimental sessions survive on tape: he did not record many and often erased those he taped. Most were not recorded and those that were recorded, were often erased. Those that remain, however, offer fascinating insights into how Bertoia likely worked in the barn when the tape machine wasn't running. Although he left behind hundreds of tapes, one can only begin to imagine the amount of unrecorded sessions that took place in Bertoia's barn. \"Experimental I\" shows the artist stretching out, in no hurry and avoiding any bombastic explosiveness. You can imagine Bertoia looking around the barn much as he is seen on this album's cover; searching for the next sound in his forest of metal wires. Unheard combinations of sculptures, percussion and long strummed sections make this recording unique. This piece has an effortless, natural flow.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Mechanical I\": There appear to be at least ten tapes from 1969-1975 that Bertoia noted were \"Mechanical\". Bertoia thought of his sculpture as a collaboration with industry since the diameters of his rods were, ultimately, determined by what was available from the factory that manufactured them. In that sense, Bertoia's music could, quite literally, be considered industrial and this piece has the metallic rhythms of a factory pulsing through it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sonambient","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50498447409483,"sku":"1071352","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/bbde261e-5ade-4935-b518-ceb64cbef0c2_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727748462"},{"product_id":"glowing-sounds","title":"Glowing Sounds","description":"\u003cp\u003eHarry Bertoia's \u003ci\u003eGlowing Sounds\u003c\/i\u003e LP contains three versions of the same composition, each transferred at different tape speeds in accordance with the artist's instructions. This is the third LP to be released from Bertoia's extensive tape archive and it's the first, of many, to be released using instructions left behind by the artist himself. Bertoia wrote the concept for this Glowing Sounds LP on a note in 1975 and slipped it into the master tape case where it sat unread for 45 years. The idea was simple, transfer the original recording at its original speed and two slower speeds. Bertoia noticed that the results, however, were profound. Recorded on January 20, 1975 using two large gongs, \u003ci\u003eGlowing Sounds\u003c\/i\u003e is one of the most powerfully minimal recordings yet discovered in Bertoia's collection. The artist's note left with the tape indicated that it was recorded at a speed of 15 IPS (inches per second) but slowing it down to speeds of 7.5 IPS and 3.25 IPS were quite effective for enhanced playback. Side A features the original 15 IPS recording and the 50% slower 7.5 IPS recording. Side B features a 20 minute, ultra-slow version at 3.25 IPS. Long, deep drones and powerful overtones define the sound of this recording. Comparison of the three speeds provides a revealing magnification of Bertoia's gongs, overtones and the artist's inventive approach to performance, composition and recording. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Important","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50500696605003,"sku":"1114634","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/fec4581e-8f07-480a-b6fd-3a354b0d704c_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727779190"},{"product_id":"mechanization-1-2","title":"Mechanization 1 \u0026 2","description":"\u003cp\u003ea. Mechanization I B. Mechanization II. On this new LP Harry Bertoia shows why he may have been the first industrial musician. Bertoia often referred to his sound sculptures as a \"collaboration with industry\" and on this new LP Bertoia is intentionally creating heavy, rhythmic music he described as \"mechanized,\" \"mechanical\" and \"factory like.\" This first edition is packaged in a full color sleeve with metallic inks. Mastered by Tom Eaton at Sounds \u0026amp; Substance. Recorded in 1971, percussion and repetition emulate the pounding rhythms of machinery on this unique pair of conceptual Bertoia compositions. Bertoia utilizes innovative performance techniques to create new sounds unheard in his oeuvre. Even in the busy factory of Bertoia's mind, distant stillness rises up as Bertoia exhibits the massive amount of control he possesses over his many looming sculptures. \"Mechanization\" is just one of the many sonic directions Bertoia took while composing and recording between the late 1950's and his death in 1978. He documented all of his ideas and directions in notes accompanying the hundreds of tapes discovered in his barn.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Important","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50774607855947,"sku":"2230219","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/harry_bertoia_FW1040_Mechanization_545997b5_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1730955914"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/harry-bertoia.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}