La Nourrice Americaine [LTMCD 2509] | Francis Picabia

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Francis Picabia \ La Nourrice Américaine (The American Nurse) [LTMCD 2509]

A CD anthology by influential avant-garde artist Francis Picabia, featuring two interpretations of a provocative Dada piano composition from 1920 together with a spoken word interview recorded in 1945.

Written in 1920, La Nourrice Américaine (The American Nurse) consists of "three notes repeated to infinity" performed for the first - and last - time at the Festival Dada, staged at the Salle Gaveau in Paris on 26 May 1920. A landmark event, the Festival Dada included contributions from Tristan Tzara, Andre Breton, Paul Eluard, Louis Aragon, Philippe Soupault and Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, and launched the Dada phenomenon in Paris.

La Nourrice Américaine was performed on the day by Marguerite Buffet, duration unknown. It seems likely that Picabia's only venture into musical composition was inspired by talks with his friends Erik Satie, Marcel Duchamp and Edgard Varese. On this CD fast and slow interpretations are included, both performed by pianist Tom Feldschuh and each lasting for 20 minutes.

The CD also includes a spoken word piece by Picabia (in the French language), recording a visit to the artist's Paris atelier in July 1945.

Tracklist:

1. La Nourrice Américaine (Fast)
2. Picabia In Conversation
3. La Nourrice Américaine (Slow)

Available on CD and digital (MP3 or FLAC). To order please first select correct shipping option (UK, Europe or Rest of World) and then click on Add To Cart button below cover image. Digital copies are supplied to customers via link sent by email.

Reviews:

"Picabia outstrips even the confrontational minimalism of Satie's sublimely tedious Vexations" (The Wire, 04/2008)

"Some may re-think how they understand the term 'composition', but the slow version of The American Nurse included here is probably what Morton Feldman's sensual piano pieces would have sounded like had he been an amnesiac goldfish. The conversation with Picabia serves as an interval" (Boomkat, 01/2008)