SC Distributon

Raining is the third installment in the small music series and the first posthumous Rolf Julius release. The title piece "Raining" originally appeared as part of the 2007 installation "Drawing (Dot)." When played at a high volume the piece engulfs the listener in a dense world of rain, wind rattled trees, and soaked pastures full of life. However, when played through the small flat speaker Julius chose for the installation, the sounds become soft and cyclical patterns, like a lush landscape viewed from a plane miles above. The second piece "Weitflächig" is an example of what Julius called "Musik für eine weite Ebene" (Music for a Wide Plain) - using small sounds to create vast landscapes of sound. "Music for a Glimpse Inward" originally appeared in a 2005 installation. With small speakers placed along the edge of very large empty room, the music played softly, heightening the listener's perception of space and emptiness.

Music for a Distance is the second release in the small music series. The title of the work in relation to the cover images (abstract photographs of Julius' wife resembling landscapes merging into a distant horizon) suggests a work of uncommon poetic perception and inspiration. The title track "Music for a Distance" began as a 2003 live performance of "Musik für eine weite Ebene" (Music for a Wide Plain) at the Donaueschinger Musiktage in Germany. Over the next 6 years Julius continued to refine the piece in the studio, in addition to live performances of the piece in Europe, Asia, and North America. The dense and nocturnal closing track, "Music in a Corner" was composed for an installation at MoMA PS1 in New York in 1983. Though different in proportion and point of view, it nevertheless captures the stillness of the horizon that would inspire "Music for a Distance" many years later.

In 1980 Rolf Julius’ pioneering work “Dike Line” was presented at the “F?r Augen Und Ohren” exhibition alongside work by John Cage, Nam June Paik, Bill Fontana, Milan Knizak, Harry Bertoia, and David Tudor. Since then Julius has created some of the most meaningful and moving works in the grey area between music and art, between sound and silence, slowly emerging as one of the most important and influential sound artists of our time. Whether using photographs, ink drawings, audio compositions, or subtle and sometimes almost hidden outdoor installations, Rolf Julius’ works serve as catalyst, increasing our awareness of the great beauty of the world that surrounds us.