Episode 8 – Karl Steven
This month, Dedee spoke to Karl Steven about his first solo album, All of Human Emotion on Microfiche.
They talk about a few tracks and music videos and the stories behind them. Other topics include Karl's preference for monochrome over colour, the philosopher Wittgenstein, and the Wittgenstein quotes he used for his track ‘Utterance and Inscription’. We also talked about his chosen album Steve Reich’s Early Works, what phase music is, and how he used it on this album.
This interview was recorded on 8 February 2022
Note – there is one swear word in the track ‘Tāmaki 5000’, which comes in around the 24 minute mark. A minor point, but letting you know in case you wish to avert your ears.
References:
Artist links:
Website – http://karlsteven.com/
Bandcamp - https://karlsteven.bandcamp.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/drkarlsteven
Audioculture profile - https://www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/karl-steven
Tracks used:
All tracks used in this podcast were taken from Karl Steven’s album All of Human Emotion on Microfiche, released on Sunreturn Records. There's also an excerpt from Karl’s chosen album, Steve Reich’s Early Works.
- Acoma (Phase 1) – Karl Steven
- Utterance and Inscription – Karl Steven
- Tāmaki 5000 – Karl Steven
- Clapping Music/1972 – Russ Hartenberger, Steve Reich
- Cold Day Light – Karl Steven
Music videos:
Utterance and Inscription - 25 January 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K2HXKC46XM
Acoma (Phase I) – 30 November 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufP-ylEnHAw&ab_channel=SunreturnRecords
Tāmaki 5000 – 12 October 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5TYvlcfo3o&ab_channel=SunreturnRecords
Freedom Bells – 29 July 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyYYCHhHcB8
Items from the Library Collection:
Philosophische Untersuchungen = Philosophical investigations / Ludwig Wittgenstein ; translated by G.E.M. Anscombe, P.M.S. Hacker and Joachim Schulte
Wittgenstein, Ludwig, 1889-1951.
Book | Wiley-Blackwell | 2009. | Rev. 4th ed. / by P.M.S. Hacker and Joachim Schulte.
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=3335d027-e0ff-5648-a615-474dd4a713d0&entityType=FormatGroup
Early works [compact disc] / Steve Reich
Reich, Steve, 1936-
Music CD | Elektra/Nonesuch | 1987
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=0cbd7934-24a6-4aea-bd79-3424a6aaea55&entityType=FormatGroup
Other references:
RNZ Interview with Kim Hill - Playing Favourites with composer Karl Steven, 29 January 2022 https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018828545/playing-favourites-with-composer-karl-steven
Under the Radar - Karl Steven + Ché Fu Share Single 'Utterance and Inscription' + Video – article by Chris Cudby, 25 January 2022
https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/19354/Karl-Steven--Ch-Fu-Share-Single-Utterance-and-Inscription--Video.utr
SMSG Conversations with Composer Karl Steven, 24 November 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVAKVhXZlOU&ab_channel=ScreenMusic%26SoundGuildofNZ
Sounz interview with Karl Steven, February 15 2021
https://news.sounz.org.nz/meet-composer-karl-steven/
How playing Wittgensteinian language-games can set us free, article by Sandy Grant, 24 January 2017
https://aeon.co/ideas/how-playing-wittgensteinian-language-games-can-set-us-free
Wittgenstein’s Language Games
http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/games/wittgenstein_game.htm