Terry Riley - Descending Moonshine Dervishes
Sublime polyphonic sounds. Really special stuff.
Originally recorded live in Berlin in 1975 and released by Kuckuck in 1982, Beacon Sound reissued the album in 2016 to widespread acclaim. Remastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri in 2016.
Using just intonation and a modified organ, Riley conjures forth a rich and layered sound that challenges the Western ear, reflecting his associations with Indian classical singer Pandit Pran Nath and La Monte Young, whose 'Well Tuned Piano' was well underway. 'Descending Moonshine Dervishes' is a virtuosic and kaleidoscopic performance, standing as one of the finest works of a revolutionary composer and musician at the height of his powers.
"'Descending Moonshine Dervishes' dates from 1975 and it belongs to a larger Dervish series of compositions whose origins predate Riley’s two signature works of minimalism, 'In C' (1968) and 'A Rainbow In Curved Air' (1969)… (the piece is) structured around just intonation, which stretches the listening experience into new areas. Played on a Yamaha organ with a bit of tape delay that allows Riley to duet with himself, the music of 'Descending Moonshine Dervishes' is an ear expansion that goes through skittering arpeggios and long, droning notes that indicate something of the many levels that it operates on."
– Louise Gray, The Wire Magazine (2017).
Released 1st November 2024
Shipping & Delivery
Drift gladly ship all items Worldwide using Royal Mail Tracked®, FedEx and DHL services. There is a shipping calculator available in the basket. Read More
Click & Collect
Available on all orders from Drift. Select the Click & Collect option during the checkout process. Read More.
UK Free Shipping
We offer free delivery on orders of £85 and over, sent within mainland UK. To qualify for free delivery, your order will be sent as one dispatch. Read More.
Global Shipping & Tax
If you are based outside the UK and EU, all prices will appear without tax at the checkout. Drift is IOSS registered and collects tax on all EU orders at point of purchase. Read More.
Earn [points_amount] when you buy this item.
Terry Riley - Descending Moonshine Dervishes
- Recommended
- Recently viewed
MUSIC A new homepage to help you find exactly what you're looking for...