The English Hotel & Opera House stood in the heart of downtown Indianapolis from 1880-1948. Through secondary sources (records, articles, and photographs) Ian Chang’s track tells the story of the 1917 murder case of Clarence Euell, an African-American waiter at the hotel’s cafe. As the story goes, Milwaukee Brewers’ manager Daniel Shay had just suffered a defeat against the Indianapolis Indians baseball team, and after taking issue with how much sugar he was given for coffee, shot Euell in the stomach. Despite conflicting witness reports, the jury concluded that Shay was defending himself and he was acquitted of second degree murder. This story reflects racial tensions and prejudice in Jim Crow-era America and is a somber reminder of how loudly that era echoes today. The piece seeks to embody both the opulence of the space and the tragedy of the Euell murder with a uncanny and operatic sonic palette. With the exception of woodblock and kick drum, Euell is created entirely of manipulated opera samples and the resulting sonic environment feels like a ghost opera.
I don't need every Kronos performance to be one that shakes me to my essence, but I do always want them to be interesting. Kronos has been my gateway to discovering a lot of composers I never knew of before, so this one is worth checking out. Richard Weems
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My god, what an absolutely incredible Suite. I'll admit, I've struggled to get into Pharoah Sanders due to diving headfirst into some of his most challenging catalogue and that never worked. This is the perfect place to restart. Floating Points is new for me and I can honestly say I've never heard synthesizer music this lush and organic before. the LSO is just perfect. This is one of those albums that any serious music fan needs in their life. The perfect swan song for the great Pharaoh! 5/5 ClassyMusicSnob