7.3.16

A New Harold Budd Page

Longtime HM bookseller Books Tell You Why, Inc. has just launched a page on their Web site dedicated to our publications with composer/musician Harold Budd. This is the first time all of his poetry collections are available in one place, along with some biographical details, videos, and links to longer articles about him.

There've been a few other Budd-related developments recently for the upcoming Aurora Teardrops. Both are also David Sylvian-related. First, we confirmed that David will be signing the 26 deluxe copies, which is kool. And second, we're going to include a copy of the manuscript score for Harold's composition "It's Steeper Near the Roses" (Dedicated to David Sylvian) from the Avalon Sutra album. I've been wanting to print a score of Harold's for ages, and the why & how have finally come together. The piece is just over a minute, so the score fits neatly on a single sheet.

https://jerwoodlibrary.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/the-delights-of-handwritten-scores/

My interest in printing a score goes back to the Carnival project, for which Harold created six copper plate engravings, each one named for a Renaissance composer. One of them - Baude Cordier - sometimes wrote shaped scores (like shaped typography) that are beautiful, and sparked the idea of printing scores in Harold's delicate hand (his scores aren't shaped, but they include interesting, non-traditional elements). Then I found this (below) in a Berkeley paper ephemera shop: a 19th century score for the first horn (trumpet?) from Barber of Seville.


Printed from engraved plates (look at the lettering!), both sides, on a beautiful, thick & textured handmade sheet. Eight pages total, sewn in a practical (& lovely) stiff holland paper wrap.


Anyway, along with the 59 poems and Jane Maru's art that you'll find in Aurora Teardrops, there also will be a facsimile Harold Budd score. Score! Till then, go shopping at the Books Tell You Why page.