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Peter Gressick is the founder and "lawgiver" of the unique and unprecendented system that combines tone pitches with elapsing days of the author’s life according to complex rules and formulas that are known only to a small circle of "initates". From time to time - on specially allotted days - the artist performs "ritual" operations based on laws of probability which subbordinate the days to come to specific notes. Despite the rigour of those procedures, the results of those operations have more to do with some sort of "magic" than with science. Each day is represented by one note and, in this manner, the real passing away of time (elapsing days) symbolically converges on the flow of musical time (i.e. time closed in the repeatable form). The system is a mode of musical creation as well as a means of documenting time (a sound "chronicle") and an instrument whereby the author organises his life.

Peter Gressick called a sequence of notes that corresponds to the seven successive weekdays the "module". Each module lasts - is performed - for one week only. The modules form the basis for improvised musical pieces performed by a group called "KLANDESTEIN", and for solo pieces by Peter Gressick. The selection of the solo pieces appears on this album. During performance, as the modules are being processed, they are analysed and transformed according to author’s musical taste - in the meantime basic motifs take shape. Some modules are most interesting than others and so are the results of their processing - some motifs are worth recording, other are mere exercises and drills, some are solely of documentary signifiance, while others acquire artistic dimension.

Module processing involves the search for appropriate rhytm, atmosphere, sound and melody, based on a sequence of notes which are ascribed to a specific week. Significant role in this process is played by the specific characteristics of Peter Gressick’s instrument - analogue YAMAHA synthesiser from the mid-seventies, as well as electronic sound processors.

In most cases one module gives rise to two pieces, and occasionally both of them turn out to be worth recording as in the tracks no.1 ("Nowadays") and no.14 ("The Eighth Of November"), based on one module consisting of the following notes: E-C#-G-F#-C#-A-C#. By the same token, tracks no.2 ("Warning to Others") and no.11 ("False Belief") are constructed upon the D-C#-F#-H--A-F# module.

This CD is a selection of recordings made between October 4th 1998 and March 14th 1999.

Album’s title, along with its gloomy mood, is evocative of horror films, with their suspense and anxiety.

doc. Carol Riffer

 


 

FEARY TALES

 

  1. Nowadays
  2. Warning To Others
  3. Not Cut Out
  4. The Evening Of St. Claus
  5. Gus Van Psych
  6. Stones Of The Necklace
  7. Nightfalls
  8. Awe–reness
  9. Captivity
  10. White Page
  11. False Belief
  12. I Shall Tremble
  13. Hello In Hell
  14. The Eighth Of November

 

PERFORMED BY: PETER GRESSICK

MASTERING: PETER NOISEA

COVER IDEA : PETER GRESSICK

COVER BY: TOM ASH

TEXT LAYOUT: AGNES SPARKS

TEXT TRANSLATED BY: JUST HUN

INSTRUMENTS:

Analogue Synthesiser Yamaha CS15D

SOUND PROCESSORS:

Multieffect Zoom 9002, Digital Delay Coda KD-36

Recorded between October 4th 1998 and March 14th 1999

Special Thanks to doc.Carol Riffer.

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