"The four pieces of this recording represent my aesthetic approach to space. Space not as in a "spacey" or astronomic sense, but space as an extension of the three-dimensional region in which we exist. Caused by acoustic foregrounds and acoustic backgrounds, spaces of different capacities occur. In the early 20th century the fine arts began to abolish spatiality, I wish to restore it by sound." - Asmus Tietchens, 2005

Asmus Tietchens' first released his unique electronic music in 1980, but created works since the late 1960s. Since then he has produced about 30 more cutting edge recordings on numerous international labels dealing with electronic sound and concrete music. Other collaborationive projects include the ongoing Kontakt der Jünglinge with Thomas Köner. Tietchens' focus is the manipulation of found sound in ways suggested by the material itself. German label Die Stadt has begun to reissue his groundbreaking early works on cd in limited edition. His latest critically acclaimed project, a series based strictly on sine tones and white noise is the "Mengen" series released by Ritornell/Mille Plateaux (Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-Menge).

Asmus Tietchens: First release of electronic music in 1980. Since then about 30 more records on numerous international labels dealing with electronic and conctrete music. His latest project is the "Mengen" series released by Ritornell/Mille Plateaux (Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-Menge). All pieces of this series are based strictly on sine tones and white noise.

David Lee Myers is a sound and visual artist living in New York City. He has created music based on feedback principles since 1987 using his unique "feedback machines". As Arcane Device, and more recently under his own name, Myers has had twenty recordings released on numerous international labels, and ReR Megacorp will rerelease his classic "Engines of Myth" album on CD in the fall of 2003. Using the portable feedback apparatus, Myers continues to perform in the U.S. and Europe, and exhibits his paintings and prints based on electronic traces generated by Feedback Music.

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11th part in the ongoing re-release series of all early Tietchens albums between 1980—1991. AUS FREUDE AM ELEND is based on the human voice as a primary sound source and was originally released in edition of 500 copies on Dom America in 1988. The CD includes two previously unreleased tracks and comes in a jewel case with full color artwork and poster booklet also feat. the original front and back cover. First edition of 600 copies.

All the tracks were copied from the original tapes which I found to be still in very good condition. The final track »Weiter nicht« on Side-B of the LP ended with a lock groove. It's presented here in its original length and therefore stops abruptly. The bonus track »Doch noch weiter« was recorded almost one year after the release of the LP.

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10th part in the ongoing re-release series of all early Tietchens albums between 1980—1991. »Notturno« was originally released by spanish label Discos Esplendor Geometrico in 1987 and also by Barooni on CD in 1992. Remastered version in a first edition of 600 copies in jewel case with full colour artwork and poster booklet also feat. the original front and back cover.
Track listing:
1. »Dritte Studie fur Klavier« 6'19
2. »Vierte Studie fur Klavier« 5'47
3. »Studie fur Henry« 6'05
4. »Halbe Tanzmusik« 2'14
5. »Drei Beisetzungen in Wien« 4'44
6. »Die Kramer im Tempel« 3'20
7. »Funfte Studie fur Klavier« 4'28
8. »Zweite Studie fur Klavier« 7'46
Bonus tracks:
9. »Siebte Studie fur Klavier« 4'31
10. »Ein leben geht zu Ende« 9'12
Total playing time: 54:26 min.

Asmus Tietchens NOTTURNO (Discos Esplendor Geometrico EG 011) 1987
(Barooni BAR 007) 1992
By the time »Studie fur Klavier« (FORMEN LETZTER HAUSMUSIK, DS84) was released it actually wasn't my first attempt to use the piano as a sound source. Various pre-studies came before this, but all which either were not characterized as such in their title or simply didn't make it onto record. I was intrigued by the great range of sounds it offers in general, but also by the multiple possibilities to produce sounds inside of the piano. Off course I was fully aware that these techniques had already been used by other composers like Henry Cowell and John Cage in the past. Not only I could make use of a grand piano in 1986, I also had the technical equipment at hand which didn't leave nothing to be desired. I wasn't quite precise calling these pieces »Studien fur Klavier (Piano)« by the way, as I was actually using a Flugel (Grand Piano). I began preparing the strings in an almost old fashioned way, also producing sounds with unusual aids (Electric Gastr Beater, Wire Brush, Coins and others). Then in another step, with the help of the studio, I carefully started working on the recorded sounds. While doing this I wasn't even afraid of the using some good old avantgarde tricks by the way. But I won't tell.
The fact that NOTTURNO was released by an industrial label, shows how much the interest in unusual electro-acoustic music had grown at the time. In fact NOTTURNO is nothing less than an industrial album. To my own delight and to the delight of the listeners as well, I used techniques which were introduced in the field of new music since several years already. As a result NOTTURNO can be seen as a cross between musical styles. On one hand it sounds academic, but in fact it isn't. But the question whether this was U (popular) or E (serious) was obsolete anyway, as electro-acoustic experiments didn't exclusively belonged to the circle of serious composers anymore. Off course I wasn't the first or only non-academic composer who produced music, which couldn't be categorized easily then, and maybe even still not until today. As a result the exchange of these new aesthetic strategies with other musicians and listeners in the mid 80's, further encouraged the musicians to produce such music, and as a result labels such as Discos Esplendor Geometrico could be sure to sell a small edition of 500 copies in a fairly short time. The ears had opened up for this genre-crossing music and the heads were ready to accept. We had succeeded breaking new ground.
Editorial notes:
All tracks have been remastered from the original tapes as I still found them in perfect condition. I decided to do this because the remastering for the first CD version back in 1992, can't be compared to nowaday standards. Both bonus tracks already appeared on the first re-release on CD (BAR 007), but have been added to the end for this new edition.

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Part 9 of the ongoing re-release series of all early Tietchens albums from 1980—1991 on CD. This combines two seperate releases from 1987 (»Zwingburgen des Hedonismus«) and 1988 (»Mysterien des Hafens« on »FACE TO FACE, VOL. 1«). »Zwingburgen des Hedonismus« was originally released as a one-sided LP on swedish label Multimood and features a singles 21 min. long track composed on a Fairlight CMI. »Mysterien des Hafens« was part of a split LP (the other side feat. DIE FORM) originally released on french label Odd Size and feat. recordings made by Tietchens using under-water microphones. The Bonus track »Faircomp 1K« on this CD is a different version of the first track and previously unreleased.
First edition of 600 copies in jewel case with full cover artwork and poster booklet also feat. the original album covers.

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8th part in the ongoing re-release series of all early Tietchens albums between 1980—1991. Described by Tietchens himself as his »Industrial« album, »Geboren, um zu Dienen« was originally released on the spanish ESPLENDOR GEOMETRICO label in 1986. The CD version incl. three unreleased bonus tracks from the same period and comes with a full colour fold-out booklet incl. liner notes by Tietchens himself.

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7th part in the re-release series of all early Tietchens albums between 1980—1991. Another early Tietchens classic, the first where he only used a single sound source as the basis for a complete album. Originally released on A-Mission in 1985 the CD version includes one bonus track. Full colour fold-out booklet featuring the original cover artwork plus liner notes by Tietchens. Edition of 1000 copies.

Track listing:
1. »Hydrophonie 2« 24'21
2. »Hydrophonie 5« 20'39
Bonus
3. »Hydrophonie 4« 11'59
Total playing time: 56:59 min.

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Part six in the ongoing re-release series of all early Tietchens albums on CD. »Formen letzter Hausmusik« was originally released on UNITED DAIRIES (the label run by Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound) in 1984. The original album consisted of a mix of archive tracks from the late 1960's / early 1970's and new tracks specially recorded for the release. Many people see »Formen letzter Hausmusik« as the first »real« Tietchens album laying the basis of what was about to follow in his long recording career and therefore vote this album among the most important and best Tietchens works. The CD version includes three unreleased Bonus tracks and comes with the usual poster booklet featuring the original cover art plus text by Tietchens about the release