Mathias Rüegg & Vienna Art Choir – From No Art to Mo(z)art (CD2002)

Twelve voices, two trombones, one saxophonist and a composer with a sense of humour. From No Art to Mo(z)art is the first album by the Vienna Art Choir, the vocal counterpart to the famous Vienna Art Orchestra. It was recorded in May 1983 at Studio Kornhäusel in Vienna, under the direction of Mathias Rüegg.

At the centre is vocalist Lauren Newton, whose voice moves freely between song, sound and pure rhythm. Around her, the choir uses the human voice in every possible way, as melody, texture and percussion. Wolfgang Puschnig on reeds and flute, along with trombonists George Lewis and Christian Radovan, add improvised colour and bite. The result sits somewhere between contemporary choral music, free jazz and Viennese wit, a sound you won’t find anywhere else.

Look closely at the tracklist. The album is built like a musical puzzle: each title adds one more syllable to the last, from “Chl” to “Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo-Ei-Eu-Au-Bd-Gsch”. It’s a typical Rüegg idea, playful and conceptual, and it makes the album a single growing piece of music.

The Side Story

Mathias Rüegg didn’t take the usual route to jazz. Born in Zurich in 1952, he trained as a schoolteacher and taught in special-needs schools before studying classical composition and jazz piano in Graz. In Vienna he played solo piano in a nightclub, where saxophonist Wolfgang Puschnig joined him. From this duo grew the Vienna Art Orchestra in 1977, which became one of Europe’s most important big bands under Rüegg’s direction for more than 30 years.

In 1983 Rüegg founded the Vienna Art Choir and led it until 1987. In November 1983, the programme of this album was performed in the Mozart-Saal of the Wiener Konzerthaus. Mozart stayed with Rüegg: in 1991 he made the film Mozart’s Balls, commissioned by the BBC for the Mozart Year. He also founded the legendary Vienna jazz club Porgy & Bess.

Trombonist George Lewis, a member of Chicago’s AACM, went on to become one of the most influential figures in experimental music and computer improvisation. Vocalist Lauren Newton was also part of the vocal group Vocal Summit, whose album Sorrow Is Not Forever – Love Is is also available on Moers Music.

Released on Moers Music. When you buy here, you’re buying directly from the label, and we only sell originals.

Tracklist

1. Chl – 4:31

2. Chl-Ni – 1:43

3. Chl-Ni-Pref – 5:36

4. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta – 4:34

5. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk – 5:16

6. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo – 3:40

7. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo-Ei – 3:56

8. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo-Ei-Eu – 4:59

9. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo-Ei-Eu-Au – 2:42

10. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo-Ei-Eu-Au-Bd – 4:19

11. Chl-Ni-Pref-Sta-Huk-Wo-Ei-Eu-Au-Bd-Gsch – 1:19

All compositions by Mathias Rüegg. Total running time: approx. 43 minutes

Personnel

• Mathias Rüegg – conductor, composer

• Lauren Newton – vocals

• Wolfgang Puschnig – alto & sopranino saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, piccolo

• George Lewis – trombone

• Christian Radovan – trombone

• Vienna Art Choir – mixed choir (12 voices)

Details

• Format: CD

• Label: Moers Music

• Catalog no.: CD2002

• Recorded: May 1983, Studio Kornhäusel, Vienna

• Price: €14.00