Saturday, 14 May 2011

Modern ambient music's 1884 prophecy

Paul-Marie Verlaine's "Art poétique", from Jadis et naguère (1884)

  ·  De la musique avant toute chose,
Et pour cela préfère l'Impair
Plus vague et plus soluble dans l'air
Sans rien en lui qui pèse ou qui pose.

    
·   Let's hear the music first and foremost,
        And that means no more one-two-one-twos…
        Something more vague instead, something lighter
        Dissolving in air, weightless as air.


A prophecy to/for ambient music? From 1884!
Oh your furniture music Satie, and your Eno's ticking vapourscapes, abloom, abloom, you fetching things! 

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