Moondog (album)

Moondog
Studio album by Moondog
Released 1969
Genre Modern classical, avant-garde, minimal
Length 30:06
Label CBS Records
Producer James William Guercio
Moondog chronology
The Story of Moondog
(1957)The Story of Moondog1957		 Moondog
(1969)		 Moondog 2
(1971)Moondog 21971
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Moondog is the fifth album by American composer Moondog.

Moondog had released no music for twelve years since his 1957 album The Story of Moondog. Finally, in 1969, producer James William Guercio invited him to record an album for Columbia Records.[1]

The resulting album compiled various music which Moondog had been working on since the 1950s. This included two "minisyms" (Moondog's term for short symphonic-styled works performed by small orchestras); two canons; a chaconne in memory of Charlie Parker; ballet music originally written for Martha Graham ("Witch of Endor"); and three symphonic (or "symphonique") works, one of which was dedicated to Benny Goodman and featured elements of swing. A version of one composition, "Theme", had previously been recorded for Epic Records in 1952.[1]

The album has been re-released twice as a 2-for-1 CD combining Moondog and Moondog 2: once by CBS in 1989, and once by Beat Goes On Records in 2001.

The album has also been re-released on vinyl LP for Record Store Day 2017.

Track listing

All compositions by Moondog (Louis Hardin)

  1. "Theme" – 2:34
  2. "Stamping Ground" – 2:36
  3. "Symphonique #3 (Ode to Venus)" – 5:48
  4. "Symphonique #6 (Good for Goodie)" – 2:44
  5. "Minisym #1: i - Allegro, ii - Andante Adagio, iii - Vivace" – 5:42
  6. "Lament 1 (Bird's Lament)" – 1:41
  7. "Witch of Endor: i - Dance, ii - Trio: (a) Adagio (The Prophecy), (b) - Andante (The Battle), (c) - Agitato (Saul's Death'), iii - Dance (reprise)" – 6:27
  8. "Symphonique #1 (Portrait of a Monarch)" – 2:34

Personnel

"Lament 1 (Bird's Lament)" was featured in the 2008 stoner comedy Pineapple Express, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.[2] "Stamping Ground" was used for a segment in The Big Lebowski.[3]

The opening part of the Vivace section of Minisym #1 was used as a theme for The Late News on WCVB-TV in the 1970s.

References

  1. 1 2 Sleevenotes for Moondog album, 2001 Beat Goes On reissue
  2. ↑ "Pineapple Express Dopest Dope". YouTube. January 23, 2009. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Big Lebowski & Moondog". YouTube. March 6, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
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