I have to admit to having been drawn to this album by the title, and further by the press release. In it, the potential listener / reviewer is informed that 'Todmorden 513' is 'a complex work of algorithmic composition of an hour's duration’ and that the title, rather than describing a gruesome sonic exercise based on the germanic words "Tod" ("death") and "morden" ("to murder"), is, in fact, a reference to ‘a small town in northern England, northeast of Manchester.' Ok so the chances are the origin of the place's name still refers to death and murder, but Reuter's album takes a different tack. And apparently, 513 refers to the town's construction.
And so we have a majestic, sweeping album that straddles ambient and neo-classical, its movements untitled beyond I-VIII, connoting the eight segued parts that form a unified whole. In fact, we learn that 'Todmorden 513' is 'a continuous movement and sequence of five hundred and thirteen harmonies and triads generated by a combinatorial compositional technique of Reuter's own design'.
Pretty involved stuff, for sure. But wait, there's more exegesis regarding the process and composition: 'The notes of each harmony or triad is then fed back into the same algorithm, resulting in a progression of chords and note clusters of highly varied density, ranging from simple two note harmonies to dense twelve note chords spread across several octaves. Starting on an A flat, the sequences of pitches form a kind of melodic or thematic line throughout. The rhythms of the performing instrumental trios and quartets were derived from the chord sequences themselves, which were looped across the whole piece, mapped to the notes of each chord, then mixed together.'
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Yowza! Now, I'm a lousy musician (which is why I write about music rather than create it), and have no technical ability in the field whatsoever, but this sounds like elaborate, theory-based stuff that's strictly for those in the know. A muso's album, if you will. Think again, and don't let the science blind you. What Markus Reuter delivers on 'Todmorden 513' is a wonderful, layered soundscape that shifts seamlessly between moods and incorporates a dazzling sonic spectrum of tone and texture.
It's an accomplished and highly listenable piece that sustains interest throughout, and incorporates a balance of both light and dark. Most importantly, it works perfectly without knowledge or understanding of the theory behind it. Recommended.
Markus Reuter on MySpace
Listen to Todmorden 513
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