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CHOPIN, HENRI - Recordings 1955-91 Vol. 1 & 2

Format: 13 x LP BOX + 7inch
Label & Cat.Number: Vinyl-On-Demand VOD151.1-13
Release Year: 2017
Note: the last huge VOD release are these TWO boxes with 13 LPs, 7" and book (52 pages) by the French sound poetrist HENRI CHOPIN (1922-2008), inventor of the "Poesie Sonore" and also working as 'painter, graphic artist and designer, typographer, independent publisher, film-maker, broadcaster and arts promoter', the boxes feat. all his official standalone releases from 1955 to 1991 + also all other compilations works and unreleased recordings from this period !!!
Price (incl. 19% VAT): €235.00
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Henri Chopin (1922-2008) was one of the most significant and influential avant-garde, sound and -concrete poets of the second half of the 20th century.
In his work as a sound poet, he was an early practitioner of a complex vocal art which he described and defined as poésie sonore , in which he used his voice, a microphone, and elementary "home" recording technologies to manipulate a vast tapestry of sounds with his compositions.

As poet, painter, graphic artist and designer, typographer, independent publisher, film-maker, broadcaster and arts promoter, Chopin's work was a barometer of the shifts in European media between the 1950’s and the 1970’s.

His publication and design of the iconic audio-visual journals Cinquième Saison and Revue OU between 1958 and 1974 contained vinyl-recordings as well as texts, images, screen-prints, and multiples. It brought together contemporary international writers including such artists as members of Lettrisme and Fluxus groups, Jiri Kolar, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Tom Phillips, Brion Gysin, William S. Burroughs and many others. He also brought back the work of survivors from earlier generations of experimental poets such as Raoul Hausmann and Marcel Janco to present their work to a fresh audience.

There is no doubt that he is a leading protagonist, accelerator, and incubator for the second half of the 20th Century avant-garde and experimental audio art.

VOD is exceptionally proud to present two box-sets of Henri Chopin’s work spanning from 1955 to 1991: with Box 1 (VOD1.1-1.7) covering his official stand-alone releases and with Box 2 (VOD1.8-13) covering all his other contributions to vinyl and tape productions as well as unreleased recordings.

Both boxes come with a nicely illustrated 52-page booklet and texts in French and English by Vincent Barras, Marc Matter, Larry Wendt and Henri Chopin’s daughter, Brigitte Morton.


LP 1: Audopoems 1956-1980 (Edition Hundertmark; Munich 1983)

A1 Rouge / Red (1956); “first vocal research, taken from the theatre piece Vivre pour Vivre” (H.C.) 3:04
A2 Dynamisme intégral / Integral Dynamics (1972 / 1973); first published on V.A. Poesia Sonora (CBS, 1975, ed. by Maurizo Nannucci) 4:03
A3 French Lesson (1974); announcement in french: Jean Ratcliffe, in german and swedish: Sten Hanson 5:15
A4 Double Extension - with Sten Hanson; electronic composition (1970); Voice: Henri Chopin, electronic manipulation: Sten Hanson 7:03
A5 Hoppa Bock / Play Leap-Frog (1970); first published on Text-Sound Compositions 6 (Fylkingen, Stockholm) 5:54

B1 Pêche de Nuit / Night Fishing (1957); dedicated to Jo Verbrugghen. Originally released as 7” with Le dernier roman du monde, Edition Cyanuur, 1970 11:35
B2 Tête à Tête - with Sten Hanson (1971 / 1973); Voice: Henri Chopin, electronic manipulation: Sten Hanson 3:37
B3 L’agrippe des droits / The grip of rights (1980); dedicated to Christian Clozier; based on the poem Yalta (1974) 10:02



LP 2: OH Audiopoems (Balsam Flex; London 1979)

A1 La Peur / Fear (1959-1971); based on a concrete poem in Cinquième Saison Nr. 6 (1959), twelve years of vocal research turned it into a sound poem 33:25
B1 Le Corps / The Body (1965); concludes Vivre pour Vivre II (1957); has been used as soundtrack for the theatre piece Dans le silence lance l’air;
three movements, voices: Henri Chopin (1st, 3rd), Denis and Brigitte Chopin (2nd, child’s voices), Jiri (Georges) Latal (3rd); first publ. in Revue OU Nr. 30/31 21:34
B2 Improvisation Directe / Live Improvisation (1978); performed live for a radio broadcast, “it's a pure voice approach, without notation” (H.C.) 10:05

Bonus 7inch
A1 Dentales soufflées / Unvoiced dentals (1979); dedicated to Erik Vonna-Michell. “It's an approach to a short meal offered at our sound factory” (H.C.) 07:27 B1 Vibrespace (1963); “single voice, accompanied by some concrete sounds by hitting the microphone on a small dental prosthesis” (H.C.) 08:55



LP 3: Henri Chopin Audiopoèmes 1972 – 1991 (Menú Cuadernos De Poesía; Cuenca, Spain 1993)

A1 La digestion (1972) 15:10
A2 Fresque de l’impalpable voix / Fresco of the impalpable voice (1990); has been performed live numerous times and broadcasted on radio 16:03

B1 Echos de bouche / Mouth Echoes (1990); “These echoes were recorded for disc and radio art” (H.C.) 9:52
B2 Crescendo aux Vocèmes / Danse des Vocèmes (1991); ‘Vocème’ = neologism by Paul Zumthor, a portmonteau composed of ‘vocal’ and ‘graphème’ 18:07



LP 4: Henri Chopin (Artalect; Paris 1983)

A1 Symphonie en Rut Jambette (1982); “This audio-poem is a reading taken from le petit Robert dictionary, very rich in its confrontations.” (H.C.) 5:30
A2 Trio d’été / Summer Trio - with Pierre Mariétan, alpenhorn, Olivier Beurotte, percussion (1979); “Direct composition without preparation or rehearsal” (H.C.) 11:53
A3 Voyage in California / Voyage en Californie - with Larry Wendt (1983); recorded at Larry Wendt’s in San José
“Oral movements” by Henri Chopin, electronically transformed by Lary Wendt” (H.C.) 9:49

B1 Sol Air (1961-1964); first published in OU Nr. 28/29; a written version in Cinqième Saison Nr. 11 and Nr. 12
“The composition took me four years, with the abandonment of words thought figurative. It was my last attempt with a score.” (H.C.) 9:29
B2 2500, ou les Grenouilles d’Aristophane, ou la Fortune / 2500, Or Aristophanes’ Frogs, Or Fortune (1967); first published in OU 36/37
Referring to Aristophanes’ use of onomatopoetics, “this mocking and laughing audio-poem enriched with echoes, speed-changes and vocal amplification” (H.C.) 4:32
B3 Nous n'avons pas voix au Chapitre (1983); “Little piece without hope in front of the law” (H.C.) 3:23
B4 Jouissance des lèvres / Pleasure Of The Lips (1983);
After returning from a tour through Australia, “I received direct influence from the fleshy lips of the Aborigines, where orality dominates” (H.C.) 4:37



LP 5: Audiopoems (Tangent Records; London 1971)

A1 New Departure (1969); “This new start was made possible when we left France and moved to Ingatestone, U.K.” (H.C.) 4:45
A2 La peur (first movement) (1958 / 1969); “Poem written in 1958, the score for this first movement was published in Cinqième Saison Nr. 6” (H.C.) 15:52

B1 Pluralité 1.1.1.1. (1968 / 1969); Composition using six speeds and six superimpositions
“With the tape-machine, in addition to its technical possibilities, the composer must use great manual and oral skills” (H.C.) 23:29



LP 6: Poésie Sonore (Igloo records; Brussels 1983)

A1 Le discours des ministres / Ministers’ Speech (1961 / 1971); acoustic theatre piece, produced for radio-broadcast; See also Cinquième Saison Nr. 13 3:44
A2 A l’impossible nul n'est tenu (1982) 3:08
A3 Jeux de présence / Presence Games (1980) 6:00
A4 Une fête de microparticules vocales / A Party of Vocal Microparticles (1982); offered to François Dufrêne, who sadly died shortly after;
“An almost inaudible audio-poem, at a few centimeters (of the tape) no listener can hear me” (H.C.) 7:07

B1 La chanson des papes / Pope’s Song (1975 / 1982); “Non-religious fun and memories of Aristophanes’ frogs” (H.C.) 3:22
B2 La poésie sonore du plus loin que le verbe et toujours pour lui (1982); “The only real sound manifest on the subject” (H.C.) 8:36
B3 Throat Power / Le fond de la gorge (1974 / 1977); “This audio-poem cultivates short silences, contrary to previous attempts.” (H.C.) 9:08



LP 7: Audiopoems (Edizioni Lotta Poetica, Studio Morra / Radiotaxi - Vibrazioni del sonoro 3; Brescia 1983)

A1 The British National Anthem (1973) / renamed in 1993: Vertigo du vertige; “I am searching for even more dynamic rhythms” (H.C.) 11:15
A2 Les chuintantes respirent (1979); Accidentaly pressed on 1/2 speed on the original LP - corrected for this version 9:50

B1 Le marché commun / The Common Market (1973); “Radiotaxi disc refused for the cover that I don't like.” (H.C.) 2:09
B2 L'alphabet (1974); “…where the human changes into a xylophone to laugh the languages” (H.C.) 5:04
B3 Definition des lettres suivantes / Definition Of The Following Letters (1974); dedicated to Franco Verdi; “Marvelous Alphabet, you deserve more” (H.C.) 5:38
B4 Cantata For Two Farts And Juan Carlos The First / Cantate pour deux pets et Juan Carlos premier (1975); 11:50

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LP 8: Compilation Contributions / Petit Livre Des Riches Heures Signistes Et Sonores D'Henri Chopin

A1 Indicatif II (1963 / 1965); from L’autonomatopek 1 (Editions Georges Fall, 1972) 2:16
A2 Delft, Recording with nine students in School (en direct et simultané 6th november 1970); from phonetische poesie (Luchterhand Verlag 1971) 2:42
A3 Les temps d’aujourd’hui / The Present Times (1976); included in Stereo Headphones Magazine Nr. 8-9-10 7:30
A4 Roule gorge / Throat Roll; excerpt (1976-1978); Recorded live in Amsterdam; at “One World Poetry” Festival, released on Giorno Poetry Systems (1981) 1:14
A5 La cavalcade échevelée / The Ccurried Cavalcade (Les 9 Saintes Phonies); on Petit livre des riches heures signistes et sonores… (Galerie J & J Donguy, 1986) 4:51
A6 Dialogue désourds / Deaf Dialogue (Les 9 Saintes Phonies); on Petit livre des riches heures signistes et sonores d'Henri Chopin (Galerie J & J Donguy, 1986) 5:33

B1 Chercher / Searching (1974); from Edizioni di Polipoesia Nr. 1 (3Vitre, ed. by Enzo Minarelli,1983); “It’s the voice that’s flying away” (H.C.) 7:20
B2 Dynamisme intégral / Integral Dynamics (1972 / 1973); also published on Audiopoems 1956-1980 (Edition Hundertmark, 1983) 10:23
B3 Présence du soleil / Presence Of The Sund (1971); from La Peur And Co (? Records 2002) 5:42
B4 Jouissance des lèvres / Pleasure Of The Lips (1983); also published on Henri Chopin (Artalect, 1993);
After returning from a tour through Australia, “I received direct influence from the fleshy lips of the Aborigines, where orality dominates” (H.C.) 4:36



LP 9: Le Voyage Labiovélaire & Le Cri (Edition S Press, 1972) / Contributions to Compilations

A1 Le voyage labiovélaire / The Labiovelar Journey (1971);
“Lifting of tongue to the palate and murmurs. This vocal ‘mechanism’ is only possible with magnetic magnifications.” (H.C.) 9:49 A2 Le Cri / The Cry - Homage to Marcel Janco (1971);
“…i knew that the cry is only heard after its long internal rumors, after a long journey through the miasmas of the body” (H.C.) 5:53
A3 Air Vibratoire - for Jean (1974); published on Revue AXE (Antwerp, 1976) 6:30

B1 Le soleil est mécanique / The Sun Is Mechanical - Voice: Denis Chopin (1972); first published on Revue OU 40/41 5:06
B2 Le parlement européen / The European Parliament (1971); published on Poésie Sonore Internationale audio-cassettes, an addition to the book edited by H.C. 3:34
B3 Le palais enchanté des années 80 / The Enchanted Palace Of The 80s (1981) / renamed in 1997: Sauvagerie / Wildness;
from Poets Painters Composers Compilation, also on Slowscan 1 Compilation); dedicated to Luc Peire. Produced at IPEM Studio, University of Ghent 10:49
B4 Le Corpsbis - troisième mouvement: premiers pizzicati de bouche (1982); on Lautpoesie 1 audio-cassette (Gertraud Scholz Verlag 1987) 6:17



LP 10: The Christian Scholz Reel - works 1955-1974; previously unreleased

A1 2 poèmes (1955); two early written poems recited by H.C., before he worked as a sound poet with his tape-machine 6:22
A2 Espace et gestes / Space And Gestures (1959); a printed version appeared in Cinquième Saison Nr. 17 (1962); also published on V.A. Klankteksten LP (1971) 8:39
A3 Le discours des ministres / Ministers’ Speech; acoustic theatre piece, produced for radio-broadcast; See also Cinquième Saison Nr. 13 4:41
A4 Vivre pour vivre II / Living For Life II (1957) 8:13

B1 Double Extension - with Sten Hanson (1970); electronic composition (1970); Voice: Henri Chopin, electronic manipulation: Sten Hanson 7:05
B2 (…la deglutition du corps) (1973); H.C. introduces it as “a small series of pieces for deglution of the body” 12:35
B3 La leçon / French Lesson (1971); announcement in french: Jean Ratcliffe, in german and swedish: Sten Hanson 5:53
B4 Le marché commun / The Common Market 2:18
B5 Dynamisme vocal / Vocal Dynamism; first published on V.A. Poesia Sonora (CBS, 1975, ed. by Maurizo Nannucci) 4:12



LP 11: A = Revue OU / B = Les 9 Saintes Phonies

A1 L'énergie du sommeil / The Energy Of Sleep (1965); on OU 23/24; soundtrack for a short film that H.C. produced with Serge Béguier and Gianni Bertini 5:02
A2 Indicatif 1 (1962); on OU 26/27; “Beginning of a radiophonic creation with which i liberated myself from the divide of poetry / music” (H.C.) 1:03
A3 La fusée interplanétaire / The Interplanetary Rocket (1963); on OU 26/27; “A mockery about laughing at the Sputnik-inspired spacetravel” (H.C.) 2:12
A4 Le ventre de Bertini / Bertini’s Belly (1967); on OU 33; An imitation of his friends flatulences, “Gianni never admired (sic!) my irony” (H.C.) 3:24
A5 Mes bronches / My Bronchial Tubes (1968); on OU 34/35; “Exposed to tear gas in Paris, May 1968, my breathing was misaligned” (H.C.) 5:48
A6 Le rire est debout / Laughter Is Standing (1969); on OU 38/39; “Nothing to say, nothing to laugh, not much conviction” (H.C.) 8:00
A7 Les mandibules du déjeuner sur l’herbe (1971); on OU 42/43/44 5:23

B: Les 9 Saintes Phonies (1983 / 1987); a wordplay referring to Henri’s namesake Frédéric: ‘the 9 symphonies’, or ‘the 9 holy phonics’;
an ironic challenge between Chopin and Chopin. Nine movements: 34:50

n°1 à pieds
n°2 en R majeur
n°3 soufflée
n°4 soubre-sautante
n°5 dépêchée
n°6 dialogue de sourds
n°7 abyssale
n°8 cavalcade échevelée
n°9 galopante



LP 12: Le Corpsbis / The Body is a Sound Factory & Co

A1 Le Corpsbis (ou Le corps doublé) 1-4 (1983); further development of the audio-poem Le Corps;
“makes use of the entire body: mouth, nose, breast and its hairs through microphonic rubbing, its resonant percussions on the on the thoracic cavern, on the flabbiness of the belly, on the twitches of the beard on which the microphone is heard.” (H.C.) 17:04

1 - La Caverne
2 - Hors-musique hors voix par la voix
3 - Premiers pizzicati de bouche
4 - Œsophage

A2 Les saccades boréales hurlantes (1974) 6:32
A3 Les raclements du maelström / Maelström Scrapings (1973) 2:53
A4 Beginning (1972), with the voice of Denis Chopin (in english) 3:11

B1 Le Corpsbis 5-8 (1983) 19:10

5 - Cavalcade sur la langue
6 - De l’air
7 - Exorcisme poitrine
8 - Théâtre du corps

B2 Le corps est une usine à sons / The Body Is A Sound Factory (1981) 10:50



LP 13: More Compilation Tracks

A1 Le fond de la gorge / Throat Power (1974 / 1977); “This audio-poem cultivates short silences, contrary to previous attempts.” (H.C.); on Licences Nr. 0 9:27
A2 Crescendo aux Vocèmes ou Danse des Vocèmes (1991); appeared on V.A. Licenses No. 0 (ed. by Alexandre Yterce, 1999) 18:05
A3 La chanson du parlement européen / The Song Of The European Parliament (1968); first released on Le Corbis & Co. (ed. Nepless, Milan 1996) 1:52

B1: La civilisation du papier / The Paper Civilisation (1974 / 1975); on Futura Poesia Sonora (ed. by Arrigo Lora Totino, Cramps Records 1978);
“I revolt against this civilisation, asserting in reality that I never accepted a poetry without a voice and without body.” (H.C.) 7:01
B2: Extrême tension (1974); on Futura Poesia Sonora (ed. by Arrigo Lora Totino, Cramps Records 1978) 4:06
B3: Le souffle et la langue / Breath And Language, or Breath and Tongue (1990); on Vocal Neighbourhoods, Leonardo Music Journal 3 (ed. by Larry Wendt, 1993) 10:39
B4: Refreshment Break - with Bob Cobbing; excerpt of Vive Rabelais (1968); on V.A. Minatures (ed. by Morgan Fisher, 1980) 1:00
B5: Few - with Kenneth Gaburo (1985) ; Prod. at Iowa Experimental Studio for two voices. included on Tape Play by Kenneth Gaburo (Pogus, 2000);
“This fabulous understanding between Kenneth and me uses synthesizers, but not excessively” (H.C.) 5:14