Meredith Monk (b. 1942)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

2016

Codifying Meredith Monk

20161104

20190809 (R3)

Meredith Monk talks about the challenges of allowing her music to be written down and published. Presented by Donald Macleod.

Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human'. Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music.

Meredith Monk's music is unique. A distinctive sound world often using extended vocal techniques from sighs to whoops. Her music is not easy to write down, but in 2000 Monk allowed some of her works to be published. She discusses with Donald Macleod how this is not an easy process, and in one particular work of hers which lasts a couple of minutes only, it took two nearly years to write it down. Another area Monk has been exploring since 2003, is composing more instrumental music starting with an orchestral commission from Michael Tilson Thomas. In more recent years she has received honorary doctorates, been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, named Composer of the Year by Musical America, and in 2015 she was honoured with the award of the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama. Yet for all her success, she says that composing music is still as difficult as it ever was.

Mercy (Shaking)

Theo Bleckmann, voice

Meredith Monk, voice

Katie Geissinger, voice

Ching Gonzalez, voice

Allison Sniffin, piano

John Hollenbeck, percussion

Gotham Lullaby

Bjork, voice

Meredith Monk Arr. Don Byron

Click Song #1

Don Byron, performer

Impermanence (Particular Dance)

Ellen Fisher, voice

Silvie Jensen, voice

Sasha Bogdanowitsch, voice

Bohdan Hilash, double ocarina, Balinese flute, zaphoon, punji

Impermanence (Between Song)

Allison Sniffin, voice and piano

Bohdan Hilash, clarinet

Songs of Ascension (Shift)

Todd Reynolds, violin

Courtney Orlando, violin

Nadia Sirota, viola

Ha-Yang Kim, cello

Bohdan Hilash, bass clarinet

Songs of Ascension (Vow)

Songs of Ascension (Burn)

Bruce Rameker, voice

Sidney Chen, voice

Emily Eagen, voice

Holly Nadal, voice

Toby Newman, voice

Peter Sciscioli, voice

Allison Sniffin, violin

Songs of Ascension (Strand: Inner psalm)

John Hollenbeck, voice

Courtney Orlando, voice

Nadia Sirota, voice

Ha-Yang Kim, voice

Light Songs (Click Song #2)

On Behalf Of Nature (Water/Sky Rant)

Bohdan Hilash, Eb clarinet, Macauan bird calls, Burmese whistles, seljefløyte

John Hollenbeck, prepared vibraphone, cuica

Allison Sniffin, keyboard, French horn, voice

Laura Sherman, harp

Producer Luke Whitlock

Meredith Monk talks about the challenges of allowing her music to be published.

2016

Music At Play

20161103

20190808 (R3)

Meredith Monk discusses humour in her music - and coyotes! Presented by Donald Macleod.

In 1978 Meredith Monk founded her own ensemble to perform her music. This group she feels are a part of her own body, and that the singers' bodies are an integral part of the expression of her music. One long serving member is the cellist and singer Robert Een. They collaborated together on Facing North in 1990, which includes the sounds of coyotes, demonstrating Monk's interest in humour and playfulness. Monk also discusses her thoughts on other choirs and ensembles performing her music.

Folkdance

Ursula Oppens, piano

Bruce Brubaker, piano

Facing North (Arctic Bar)

Meredith Monk, voice & piano & organ

Robert Een, voice

Facing North (Hocket)

Atlas (Part II: Lonely Spirit)

Randall Wong (Lonely Spirit), voice

Meredith Monk (Alexandra), voice

Opera Orchestra

Wayne Hankin, conductor

Atlas (Part II: Forest Questions)

Robert Een (Erik Magnussen), voice

Dana Hanchard (Gwen St. Clair), voice

Stephen Kalm (Franco Hartmann), voice

Shi-Zheng Chen (Cheng Qing), voice

Emily Eyre (Forest Dweller), voice

Janice Brenner (Forest Dweller), voice

Katie Geissinger (Forest Dweller), voice

Randall Wong (Forest Dweller), voice

Carlos Ar退valo (Forest Dweller), voice

Robert Osborne (Ancient Man), voice

Allison Easter (guide) voice

Ching Gonzalez (guide), voice

Katie Geissinger (traveller), voice

Victoria Boomsma (traveller), voice

Nightfall

Musica Sacra

Richard Westenburg, conductor

Volcano Songs (Offering)

St Petersburg Waltz

Nurit Tilles, piano

Producer Luke Whitlock

2016

Singing Beneath A Dolmen

20161101

20190807 (R3)

Meredith Monk sits and sings beneath a dolmen in France, presented by Donald Macleod.

In 1965, Meredith Monk had a revelation regarding the capabilities of the human voice, and created her own unique vocal technique. From the start, Monk was interested in primordial utterance, the first sounds humans made. It was on a trip to France where she had the opportunity to visit a megalithic Dolmen. Sat beneath this stone table structure, singing with friends, Monk was inspired to compose Dolmen Music. During the 1970s she was also busy creating large-scale site-specific works, including her opera epic Vessel. Quarry, another opera, she composed in 1976. Monk has said that in her whole lifetime, she felt most on fire when composing this work.

Gotham Lullaby

Meredith Monk, voice and piano

Vessel (Little Epiphany/Sybil Song)

Paris

Ursula Oppens, piano

Our Lady of Late (Unison)

Meredith Monk, voice and glass

Colin Walcott, glass

Quarry (Quarry Weave 2)

Musica Sacra

Richard Westenburg, condcutor

Andrea Goodman, voice

Monica Solem, voice

Paul Langland, voice

Julius Eastman, voice and percussion

Robert Een, voice and cello

Producer Luke Whitlock

Monk visits a dolmen in France.

2016

The Magician Of The Voice

20161031

20190806 (R3)

American composer Meredith Monk finds her unique voice, presented by Donald Macleod.

Music and singing is in Meredith Monk's DNA. Her mother sang operetta, popular songs, and jingles for commercials. Her grandfather was an operatic bass who set up a conservatory in Harlem, and her great-grandfather was a cantor in a Moscow synagogue, and was invited to sing for the Tsar of Russia. In conversation with Donald Macleod Meredith Monk discusses her early influences from family, school and college, and how her career went on to develop in New York at a time, 1965, when she had a revelation about the possibilities of the human voice.

Book of Days (Fields/Clouds)

Johanna Arnold, voice

Joan Barber, voice

Andrea Goodman, voice

Naaz Hosseini voice

Meredith Monk, voice

Robert Een, voice

John Eppler, voice

Ching Gonzalez, voice

Wayne Hankin, voice

Nicky Paraiso, voice

Timothy Sawyer, voice

Nurit Tilles, keyboard

Book of Days (Jewish Storyteller/Dance/Dream)

Parlour Games

Ursula Oppens, piano

Bruce Brubaker, piano

Arr. Meredith Monk

Greensleeves

Meredith Monk, guitar and voice

Nota

Candy Bullets and Moon

Meredith Monk, bass and voice

Don Preston, drums and organ

Porch

Epic I

Meredith Monk, voice and organ

Atlas (Part I: Airport)

Wilbur Pauley (Airport attendant), voice

Meredith Monk (Alexandra), voice

Shi-Zheng Chen (Cheng Qing), voice

Robert Een (Erik Magnussen), voice

Allison Easter (guide) voice

Ching Gonzalez (guide), voice

Katie Geissinger (traveller), voice

Victoria Boomsma (traveller), voice

Opera Orchestra

Wayne Hankin, conductor

Producer Luke Whitlock

Meredith Monk finds her unique voice.

2016

The Detective Composer

20161102

Composing music is like jumping off a cliff says Meredith Monk, presented by Donald Macleod.

Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human.' Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music.

In conversation with Donald Macleod, composer Meredith Monk describes her compositional process as similar to jumping off a cliff, where she always tries to start with nothing, and encourages herself to take risks. Monk feels that composing is like being a detective where she is looking for a clue, and once found she then starts to work with it. In The Games, Monk has described this work as being like delving into the process of nature. Meredith Monk also discusses composing for, and directing film, including Ellis Island and Book of Days.

Ursula Oppens, piano

Bruce Brubaker, piano

The Games (Panda Chant I)

Robert Een, voice

Andrea Goodman, voice,

Wayne Hankin, voice

Naaz Hosseini, voice

Meredith Monk, voice

The Games (Memory Song)

Naaz Hosseini, voice and violin

Wayne Hankin, keyboard

Nurit Tilles, keyboard

Do You Be

Meredith Monk, voice and piano

Book of Days (Travellers 4/Churchyard Entertainment)

Nicky Paraiso, voice

Naaz Hosseini voice

Ching Gonzalez, voice

Johanna Arnold, voice

Joan Barber, voice

John Eppler, voice

Timothy Sawyer, voice

Book of Days (Madwoman's Vision)

Meredith Monk, voice and keyboard

Robert Een, cello

Wayne Hankin, bass recorder

Acts from Under and Above (Scared Song)

Meredith Monk, voice and synthesizer

Nurit Tilles, piano

Songs of Ascension (Ascent)

Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble

Todd Reynolds Quartet

The M6

Montclair State University Singers

Heather J. Buchanan, conductor

Producer Luke Whitlock.

Meredith Monk describes to Donald Macleod her compositional process.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
2016		Codifying Meredith Monk	20161104	20190809 (R3)	Meredith Monk talks about the challenges of allowing her music to be written down and published. Presented by Donald Macleod. Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human'. Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music. Meredith Monk's music is unique. A distinctive sound world often using extended vocal techniques from sighs to whoops. Her music is not easy to write down, but in 2000 Monk allowed some of her works to be published. She discusses with Donald Macleod how this is not an easy process, and in one particular work of hers which lasts a couple of minutes only, it took two nearly years to write it down. Another area Monk has been exploring since 2003, is composing more instrumental music starting with an orchestral commission from Michael Tilson Thomas. In more recent years she has received honorary doctorates, been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, named Composer of the Year by Musical America, and in 2015 she was honoured with the award of the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama. Yet for all her success, she says that composing music is still as difficult as it ever was. Mercy (Shaking) Theo Bleckmann, voice Meredith Monk, voice Katie Geissinger, voice Ching Gonzalez, voice Allison Sniffin, piano John Hollenbeck, percussion Gotham Lullaby Bjork, voice Meredith Monk Arr. Don Byron Click Song #1 Don Byron, performer Impermanence (Particular Dance) Ellen Fisher, voice Silvie Jensen, voice Sasha Bogdanowitsch, voice Bohdan Hilash, double ocarina, Balinese flute, zaphoon, punji Impermanence (Between Song) Allison Sniffin, voice and piano Bohdan Hilash, clarinet Songs of Ascension (Shift) Todd Reynolds, violin Courtney Orlando, violin Nadia Sirota, viola Ha-Yang Kim, cello Bohdan Hilash, bass clarinet Songs of Ascension (Vow) Songs of Ascension (Burn) Bruce Rameker, voice Sidney Chen, voice Emily Eagen, voice Holly Nadal, voice Toby Newman, voice Peter Sciscioli, voice Allison Sniffin, violin Songs of Ascension (Strand: Inner psalm) John Hollenbeck, voice Courtney Orlando, voice Nadia Sirota, voice Ha-Yang Kim, voice Light Songs (Click Song #2) On Behalf Of Nature (Water/Sky Rant) Bohdan Hilash, Eb clarinet, Macauan bird calls, Burmese whistles, seljefløyte John Hollenbeck, prepared vibraphone, cuica Allison Sniffin, keyboard, French horn, voice Laura Sherman, harp Producer Luke Whitlock Meredith Monk talks about the challenges of allowing her music to be published.
2016		Music At Play	20161103	20190808 (R3)	Meredith Monk discusses humour in her music - and coyotes! Presented by Donald Macleod. Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human'. Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music. In 1978 Meredith Monk founded her own ensemble to perform her music. This group she feels are a part of her own body, and that the singers' bodies are an integral part of the expression of her music. One long serving member is the cellist and singer Robert Een. They collaborated together on Facing North in 1990, which includes the sounds of coyotes, demonstrating Monk's interest in humour and playfulness. Monk also discusses her thoughts on other choirs and ensembles performing her music. Folkdance Ursula Oppens, piano Bruce Brubaker, piano Facing North (Arctic Bar) Meredith Monk, voice & piano & organ Robert Een, voice Facing North (Hocket) Atlas (Part II: Lonely Spirit) Randall Wong (Lonely Spirit), voice Meredith Monk (Alexandra), voice Opera Orchestra Wayne Hankin, conductor Atlas (Part II: Forest Questions) Robert Een (Erik Magnussen), voice Dana Hanchard (Gwen St. Clair), voice Stephen Kalm (Franco Hartmann), voice Shi-Zheng Chen (Cheng Qing), voice Emily Eyre (Forest Dweller), voice Janice Brenner (Forest Dweller), voice Katie Geissinger (Forest Dweller), voice Randall Wong (Forest Dweller), voice Carlos Ar退valo (Forest Dweller), voice Robert Osborne (Ancient Man), voice Allison Easter (guide) voice Ching Gonzalez (guide), voice Katie Geissinger (traveller), voice Victoria Boomsma (traveller), voice Nightfall Musica Sacra Richard Westenburg, conductor Volcano Songs (Offering) St Petersburg Waltz Nurit Tilles, piano Producer Luke Whitlock
2016		Singing Beneath A Dolmen	20161101	20190807 (R3)	Meredith Monk sits and sings beneath a dolmen in France, presented by Donald Macleod. Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human'. Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music. In 1965, Meredith Monk had a revelation regarding the capabilities of the human voice, and created her own unique vocal technique. From the start, Monk was interested in primordial utterance, the first sounds humans made. It was on a trip to France where she had the opportunity to visit a megalithic Dolmen. Sat beneath this stone table structure, singing with friends, Monk was inspired to compose Dolmen Music. During the 1970s she was also busy creating large-scale site-specific works, including her opera epic Vessel. Quarry, another opera, she composed in 1976. Monk has said that in her whole lifetime, she felt most on fire when composing this work. Gotham Lullaby Meredith Monk, voice and piano Vessel (Little Epiphany/Sybil Song) Paris Ursula Oppens, piano Our Lady of Late (Unison) Meredith Monk, voice and glass Colin Walcott, glass Quarry (Quarry Weave 2) Musica Sacra Richard Westenburg, condcutor Andrea Goodman, voice Monica Solem, voice Paul Langland, voice Julius Eastman, voice and percussion Robert Een, voice and cello Producer Luke Whitlock Monk visits a dolmen in France.
2016		The Magician Of The Voice	20161031	20190806 (R3)	American composer Meredith Monk finds her unique voice, presented by Donald Macleod. Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human'. Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music. Music and singing is in Meredith Monk's DNA. Her mother sang operetta, popular songs, and jingles for commercials. Her grandfather was an operatic bass who set up a conservatory in Harlem, and her great-grandfather was a cantor in a Moscow synagogue, and was invited to sing for the Tsar of Russia. In conversation with Donald Macleod Meredith Monk discusses her early influences from family, school and college, and how her career went on to develop in New York at a time, 1965, when she had a revelation about the possibilities of the human voice. Book of Days (Fields/Clouds) Johanna Arnold, voice Joan Barber, voice Andrea Goodman, voice Naaz Hosseini voice Meredith Monk, voice Robert Een, voice John Eppler, voice Ching Gonzalez, voice Wayne Hankin, voice Nicky Paraiso, voice Timothy Sawyer, voice Nurit Tilles, keyboard Book of Days (Jewish Storyteller/Dance/Dream) Parlour Games Ursula Oppens, piano Bruce Brubaker, piano Arr. Meredith Monk Greensleeves Meredith Monk, guitar and voice Nota Candy Bullets and Moon Meredith Monk, bass and voice Don Preston, drums and organ Porch Epic I Meredith Monk, voice and organ Atlas (Part I: Airport) Wilbur Pauley (Airport attendant), voice Meredith Monk (Alexandra), voice Shi-Zheng Chen (Cheng Qing), voice Robert Een (Erik Magnussen), voice Allison Easter (guide) voice Ching Gonzalez (guide), voice Katie Geissinger (traveller), voice Victoria Boomsma (traveller), voice Opera Orchestra Wayne Hankin, conductor Producer Luke Whitlock Meredith Monk finds her unique voice.
2016	03	The Detective Composer	20161102		Composing music is like jumping off a cliff says Meredith Monk, presented by Donald Macleod. Meredith Monk has been described as one of America's coolest composers. She is also a singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and installation artist. Monk's singular voice has been the central component in the work she has created over a trajectory spanning more than fifty years. As a pioneer in extended vocal technique and a composer of vocal and instrumental music, she has developed distinct sound worlds that have been described as 'a beguiling repertoire of aviary microtones, robust yodels, and dusky, low-range chanting' and also as 'a peerless mixture of otherworldly and human.' Her music is identifiable as distinctly Meredith Monk, and has historically provoked strong reactions from audiences and critics alike. Now in her seventies Monk still tours performing her own works, and it was in Cologne where Donald Macleod caught up with her for Composer of the Week, to discuss her remarkable life and unique music. In conversation with Donald Macleod, composer Meredith Monk describes her compositional process as similar to jumping off a cliff, where she always tries to start with nothing, and encourages herself to take risks. Monk feels that composing is like being a detective where she is looking for a clue, and once found she then starts to work with it. In The Games, Monk has described this work as being like delving into the process of nature. Meredith Monk also discusses composing for, and directing film, including Ellis Island and Book of Days. Ursula Oppens, piano Bruce Brubaker, piano The Games (Panda Chant I) Robert Een, voice Andrea Goodman, voice, Wayne Hankin, voice Naaz Hosseini, voice Meredith Monk, voice The Games (Memory Song) Naaz Hosseini, voice and violin Wayne Hankin, keyboard Nurit Tilles, keyboard Do You Be Meredith Monk, voice and piano Book of Days (Travellers 4/Churchyard Entertainment) Nicky Paraiso, voice Naaz Hosseini voice Ching Gonzalez, voice Johanna Arnold, voice Joan Barber, voice John Eppler, voice Timothy Sawyer, voice Book of Days (Madwoman's Vision) Meredith Monk, voice and keyboard Robert Een, cello Wayne Hankin, bass recorder Acts from Under and Above (Scared Song) Meredith Monk, voice and synthesizer Nurit Tilles, piano Songs of Ascension (Ascent) Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble Todd Reynolds Quartet The M6 Montclair State University Singers Heather J. Buchanan, conductor Producer Luke Whitlock. Meredith Monk describes to Donald Macleod her compositional process.