Wikipedia

G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymns

G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymnsis an album by pianistKeith Jarrettrecorded March 1980 and released onECMSeptember that year, featuring solo piano performances of the sacred hymns ofGeorge GurdjieffandThomas de Hartmann.[1]

G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymns
Studio albumby
Keith Jarrett
ReleasedSeptember 1980[1]
RecordedMarch 1980[2]
StudioTonstudio Bauer
Ludwigsburg,W. Germany
GenreClassical music
Length50:56
LabelECM1174
ProducerManfred Eicher
Keith Jarrettchronology
Nude Ants
(1980) 		G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymns
(1980) 		The Celestial Hawk
(1980)
Keith Jarrettsolo piano chronology
Sun Bear Concerts
(1978) 		G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymns
(1980) 		The Moth and the Flame
(1981)

Background

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Jarrett's interest in Gurdjieff dated back to the 1960s and his association withCharles Lloyd,who was "on a Gurdjieff kick" at the time, and whose copies of Gurdjieff's books Jarrett read.[3]Jarrett eventually immersed himself in Gurdjieff's writings and music, the latter having been transcribed by Russian composerThomas de Hartmann.[4]At some point, a member of the London Gurdjieff Foundation suggested that Jarrett record some of Gurdjieff's music,[5]and Jarrett accepted. The resulting recording marked the first occasion on which Gurdjieff's music, as notated by de Hartmann, was made available to the public,[6]and was a major catalyst in bringing the music to the attention of a mainstream audience.[7]

Jarrett later reflected: "It was the most appropriate thing for me to record at the time, given that I knew more about it than just the music, and also given that I was asked by [a member of] the London group whether I would do it or not. That was enough for me. But it was also an exercise in disappearing personality. In the so-called Gurdjieff world, personality is not a positive thing... So I used that recording as an exercise in not inflicting that music with my personality."[8](Not surprisingly, Jarrett abstained almost completely from the use of improvisation on the album.[4]) Jarrett stopped reading Gurdjieff's writings in the early 1980s, but stated: "the impression shouldn't be that I have at some point or other refuted it."[9]

Reception

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TheAllMusicreview by Richard S. Ginell noted: "The whole record has a serene dignity, even at its loudest levels, that gets to you, and that should be enough for the devout Jarrett following. As for others—well, it's definitely not a Top Ten choice for a basic Jarrett collection."[10]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz[11]

Track listing

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All compositions by George Ivanovich Gurdjieff and Thomas de Hartmann
  1. "Reading of Sacred Books" – 8:19
  2. "Prayer and Despair" – 3:50
  3. "Religious Ceremony" – 4:07
  4. "Hymn" – 2:45
  5. "Orthodox Hymn from Asia Minor" – 3:04
  6. "Hymn for Good Friday" – 1:35
  7. "Hymn" – 2:30
  8. "Hymn for Easter Thursday" – 3:26
  9. "Hymn to the Endless Creator" – 2:04
  10. "Hymn from a Great Temple" – 4:30
  11. "The Story of the Resurrection Of Christ" – 1:37
  12. "Holy Affirming – Holy Denying – Holy Reconciling" – 4:14
  13. "Easter Night Procession" – 2:54
  14. "Easter Hymn" – 5:49
  15. "Meditation" – 1:42

Personnel

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Production

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  • Manfred Eicher – producer
  • Kathelin Hoffman – research and co-ordination
  • Martin Wieland – recording engineer
  • Barbara Wojirsch – cover design and layout

References

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  1. ^abECM RecordsKeith Jarrett: G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymnsaccessed May 2020
  2. ^Keith Jarrett discographyaccessed May 2020
  3. ^Carr, Ian (1992).Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music.Da Capo. p. 41.
  4. ^abSandner, Wolfgang (2020).Keith Jarrett: A Biography.Translated by Jarrett, Chris. Equinox. p. 102.
  5. ^Petsche, Johanna J.M. (2015).Gurdjieff and Music: The Gurdjieff/de Hartmann Piano Music and Its Esoteric Significance.Brill. p. 148.
  6. ^Petsche, Johanna J.M. (2015).Gurdjieff and Music: The Gurdjieff/de Hartmann Piano Music and Its Esoteric Significance.Brill. p. 147.
  7. ^Petsche, Johanna J.M. (2015).Gurdjieff and Music: The Gurdjieff/de Hartmann Piano Music and Its Esoteric Significance.Brill. p. 10.
  8. ^Carr, Ian (1992).Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music.Da Capo. pp. 128–129.
  9. ^Carr, Ian (1992).Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music.Da Capo. p. 130.
  10. ^abGinell, R. S.AllMusic Reviewaccessed August 15, 2011
  11. ^Cook, Richard;Morton, Brian(2008).The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings(9th ed.).Penguin.p. 769.ISBN978-0-141-03401-0.
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