Ode To Gravity:
John Dinwiddie vs. the Future of Music

Charles Amirkhanian introduces John Dinwiddie, who presents a live concert of his music written in minimal formats and featuring one to nine performers. Originally broadcast on April 25 1973, from the studio of KPFA the works include “Quiver” a work for solo prepared piano, and performed by Beth Anderson. This is followed by “Music for Eight Point Eight Piano Players,” performed by actually nine players, utilizing two grand pianos and all 88 keys on the keyboard. There are then two works for two pianos, the rather somber “The Tomb of Alexander Scriabin,” and the more energetic “My Triple Fingerrrring,” which features a series of trills. Both are performed by Anderson joined by the composer. The whole group then joins together for a group vocalization, incorporating lip and tongue trills, without any use of the vocal chords. The concert then concludes with a lengthy group improvisation utilizing all the earlier techniques and various instruments and sound producing objects.

John Dinwiddie was born in Berkeley in 1940. His early studies were in architecture, but music, which started as a hobby, consumed the time he was supposed to be spending mending compasses and drawing circles. In 1959 he left Tulane University and moved to Germany where he studied at the Hamburg Conservatory. Later he returned to the U. S. and earned two degrees in composition at the campuses of the University of California. He was a contributor to Source Magazine, has been commissioned by the First Festival of Live Electronic Music, Allen Strange, and the San Francisco Conservatory New Music Ensemble, and has performed as a pianist.