Morton Subotnick, "The Last Dream of the Beast"

Notes from Nonesuch 78029:

Morton Subotnick: The Last Dream of the Beast (1978, Revised 1982 & 1984)

The Last Dream of the Beast, composed for Joan LaBarbara, is a concert version of an "aria" from the music drama The Double Life of Amphibians (composed by Morton Subotnick, directed by Le Breuer with sets by Irving Petlin). In the aria, a beast man imagines a beautiful, blind woman who falls in love with him. He fantasizes that if one dies while dreaming, the dream becomes infinite and so, he arranges his death while dreaming his last and most beautiful encounter with his fantasy woman.

The solo version of The Last Dream of the Beast, for amplified soprano and an electronic "ghost" score, was premiered at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., February 1979. It was revised and rescored for electronic tape and 6 celli in addition to the amplified voice and "ghost" score, and premiered at the Monday Evening Concerts in Los Angeles 6 December 1982. It was reworked again for premiere in the staged version of The Double Life of Amphibians for the Olympics Arts Festival in Los Angeles 20 June 1984 and this Nonesuch recording represents that version of the work for amplified soprano, 2 celli, live electronic sounds and an electronic "ghost" score.

Recorded February 10, 1984, Capitol Records, Los Angeles
Conductor: Stephen L. Mosko
Performers: Erika Duke, cello; Dane Little, cello; Morton Subotnick, Buchla 400 Electronic Musical Instrument and "ghost" electronics