Vienna Art Orchestra – Two Little Animals (CD2066)

Big band jazz meets Arnold Schoenberg. On October 7 and 8, 1987, the Vienna Art Orchestra under Mathias Rüeggplayed two concerts in Graz. Two Little Animals captures them live: a 15-piece orchestra at its creative peak, between composed orchestral jazz and free improvisation.

The centrepiece is the 16-minute “K wie Ikeda”, a long, gripping journey through slow and fast passages that gives the soloists room to stretch out. The album’s big surprise is “V. Lied” from Arnold Schoenberg’s song cycle Das Buch der hängenden Gärten, arranged by Rüegg for big band and sung by Lauren Newton. That’s a daring bridge between the Vienna School of classical music and jazz. Rüegg originals like “How Red the Head”, “Back to Nothing”, the dreamy “You Are the Ghost of a Romance in June” and the long “Missing Ann” round out the programme. The album ends with a one-minute “Guet Nacht”, Swiss German for “good night”.

The line-up includes Lauren Newton, Wolfgang Puschnig, Harry Sokal, Roman Schwaller, Herbert Joos, Hannes Kottek, Bumi Fian, Christian Radovan, Jon Sass, Andy Manndorff, Uli Scherer, Heiri Känzig, Wolfgang Reisingerand Joris Dudli. Released on Moers Music. When you buy here, you’re buying directly from the label, and we only sell originals.

The Side Story

The album is called Two Little Animals, but the piece “Two Little Animals” isn’t on it. It appears on the live double album Inside Out, Live ‘87 (D’CD 2062/3), recorded just five weeks later in Switzerland. Together the two albums document the Vienna Art Orchestra’s autumn 1987 tour.

Playing in Graz meant something to Rüegg. He studied classical composition and jazz piano there before moving to Vienna and founding the orchestra.

The Schoenberg connection runs deep. Vienna was Schoenberg’s city, and singers from Vienna’s Arnold Schoenberg Choir formed the Vienna Art Choir for Rüegg in 1983. Some of the music lived on beyond the VAO: Rüegg later reworked “Back to Nothing” for the NDR Big Band and orchestra on the 1996 album 3rd Dream.

Tracklist

1. How Red the Head – 7:33

2. K wie Ikeda – 16:11

3. Back to Nothing – 6:40

4. You Are the Ghost of a Romance in June – 5:17

5. V. Lied (from “Das Buch der hängenden Gärten”, Arnold Schoenberg, arr. Rüegg) – 9:45

6. Missing Ann – 11:22

7. Guet Nacht – 1:00

Compositions by Mathias Rüegg unless otherwise noted. Total running time: approx. 58 minutes

Personnel

• Mathias Rüegg – conductor, composer, arranger

• Lauren Newton – vocals

• Hannes Kottek – trumpet

• Bumi Fian – trumpet

• Herbert Joos – trumpet, flugelhorn

• Wolfgang Puschnig – alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet

• Harry Sokal – soprano & tenor saxophone, flute

• Roman Schwaller – tenor saxophone

• Christian Radovan – trombone

• Jon Sass – tuba

• Andy Manndorff – guitar

• Uli Scherer – keyboards

• Heiri Känzig – bass

• Wolfgang Reisinger – percussion

• Joris Dudli – drums

Details

• Format: CD

• Label: Moers Music

• Catalog no.: CD2066

• Recorded: Live, October 7 & 8, 1987, Graz, Austria

• Price: €14.00