Meredith Monk's Tortoise Dreams and Folk Music from Another Planet: Q2 Spaces

In this episode of Q2 Spaces, we tour the living quarters and urban fairy-tale rehearsal space of visionary composer and singer Meredith Monk. More: bit.ly/1xeBdte
Monk opens a window onto her longstanding Buddhist practice; her sculptured, cinematic approach to composition and cultivation of a “beginner’s mind;” her tortoise Neutron and piano Rose; and an upbringing which included singing trios with her mother and sister while doing chores around the house.
Monk describes her sound as “folk music from another planet,” getting at what listeners have identified in her music as a time and place-less simultaneity of the ancient and the modern, as the vibrant outgrowth of her early epiphany that the human voice could be treated as a part of the body, as profoundly physical and versatile instrument capable of unchartered expressive possibilities.
Video: Kim Nowacki & Alex Ambrose
Executive Producers: Alex Ambrose & Mike Rinzel
Music: All music by Meredith Monk | Courtesy of ECM Records
www.meredithmonk.org
www.ecmrecords.com
Q2 Spaces is produced by Q2 Music, New York Public Radio's online music station devoted to contemporary classical music and dynamic live webcasts from leading new-music venues. Q2 Music lives online at wqxr.org/q2music.
© Q2 Music 2014

[@pelgervampireduck]

turtle dreams is a new classic, like edged weapons and rem lazar

[@IAmNotAHorse]

I don’t practice Santeria, I just worship rem lazar

[@imperishableneet]

Don't forget SOS, courtesy of the Children of God cult

[@sujoyteslesl]

anyone else here after watching botw on redlettermedia and decided to dig deeper?

[@Pensive_Scarlet]

Yeah, I actually thought the bits they showed were really nice. I never have a problem with people getting an honest laugh out of a performance that doesn't resonate with them, and I could tell these were the sorts of performers who would take that laugh as a good thing, as a positive their performance gave to someone watching. I'm looking into experimenting with the sort of music that might make some people laugh or giggle like that, it's neat to see there's at least one person who might be interested. XD

[@sujoyteslesl]

@@Pensive_Scarlet That's fair. Good luck, and all the best.

[@sledgemofo1898]

I went through the phases of disbelief and disgust, then curiosity, and now feeling like things don’t have to make sense the more I listen. I don’t want to like it, I sort of don’t. But I do?

[@sledgemofo1898]

But yes, Red Letter Media is to blame.

[@johnbacon4997]

Yeah

[@jlovebirch]

Anyone else come here after seeing RedLetterMedia's review of Turtle Dreams?

[@nspinicelli]

YUP!

[@esteemedscholar5969]

Yes

[@BossRedRanger]

This woman has an award from President Obama. And all we knew was from some jerks in Milwaukee making fun of her. LOL

[@LKRaider]

HossKirkland being on tape with Rich Evans is the pinnacle of her achievements.

[@patrickhamos2987]

i went to the store store store

[@IAmNotAHorse]

Everyone goes to the store!

[@chapterrv]

11 outta 10 for the reference

[@chirho100]

"it broke new ground!"

[@nspinicelli]

OOOOHHHH myyyy GOOOOOOODDD!

[@lavista1602]

I love your work... thank you so much for your amazing integrity as an artist...

[@SgtxAnus]

can we please please PLEASE get this message to her? "Meredith, PLEASE GO ON BEST OF THE WORST."

[@sgtjonson]

No offense, but I think this artist is a bit too high brow for RLM. RLM is full of great guys and they know film, but Monk is from a different world

[@SgtxAnus]

@@sgtjonson nah man she needs to get on there and start talking about Death Stalker 3. Wtf is this “too high brow” bs. At the end of the day sometimes you just need to relax n have a good time; if you cant do that then damn thats a depressing life. And i should know im depressed.

[@EssieP]

Fantastic voice and music. I've followed her music since I discovered it in the late 1980s.

[@npc1386]

baw baw baw. Rich Evans loves you.

[@conniebousquet3104]

She's so well organized! What an inspiration! Thanks, Ellen, for making me aware of this Video.

[@RichardHBlumberg]

Meredith Monk in NYC, Showing Her Cool Ass Crib!!!!

[@pamelachiara1489]

she is in NY?OMG I was finally so close to her...I didn't know! she is such a pure soul...beautiful shining spirit

[@emilymorsemusic]

Love the information!

[@TheKinoEye]

Two nights ago at (le) Poisson Rouge, in Greenwich Village NYC. Wow!

[@senhoradoo]

Master Monk

[@arcrs40]

likeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@terrydavis8451]

Is this that crazy lady who yells on the tv?

[@willyvlyminck138]

Wish you could do something with Zap Mama

[@EverybodyLovesMaria]

OMG, somebody, please, tell me the name of the song playing on 2:37!.. It's so amazing!!

[@Postphenomenology]

It's by Meredith and it's called Ascent.

[@OnlySubhumansWorkAtYouTube]

I when to the store. STORE! STORE!

[@wilkkick]

2:30 whats the track name ?

[@flxmq]

please!! what is the name of the first song that's playing??

[@esteemedscholar5969]

Metallica: Darude

[@JafuetTheSame]

"Travelling" from Dolmen Music

[@LIFEHAZARD56]

2:11 what is that instrument?

[@carlborg98]

Jew's harp or jaw harp

[@AStateOfProgressive]

These people all have Asperger's .

[@avesatanae]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiidds

[@jonnyc429]

I'm sure all the pretentious, middle class art students will be queueing up to heap praise on her

[@slapdogpuppyspank8754]

Plus Yoko