CD version. This disc brings the first CD and surround release of the quadrophonic work for analog tape 4 Butterflies, and Morton Subotnick’s live remix/recomposition of the classic tape piece Until Spring as Until Spring: Revisited plus, on DVD only, A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur: Revisited.

Until Spring was first conceived in 1975 on the Buchla synthesizer using only analog techniques. “It was about 10 years from Silver Apples to Until Spring,” Subotnick explains, “and I’d evolved a whole concept and a technique, but I had gone as far as I could go with it. I could do everything I wanted to do, but I couldn’t do it in real time.” As computers and software developed in the coming decades, Subotnick created a software-based instrument that he felt could allow him to complete his original vision, which led to Until Spring: Revisited, a reinterpretation constructed around source materials from Until Spring, recorded live in San Francisco. The work has been performed many times by the ensemble of Morton Subotnick (live electronics), Miguel Frasconi (live electronics and glass harp), and stunning live improvisational visual accompaniment by Sue Costabile (SUE-C) [the latter on DVD only].

Four Butterflies was originally released as a stereo LP on Columbia Records. This is its first release on CD. Mode has made a high-resolution transfer from the analog master tapes, newly remixed by the composer. Set in four sections separated by two interludes, Four Butterflies is a floating, mysterious electronic landscape. On DVD, two sections are accompanied by films created by artist Mario Castillo, which were projected during live performances during the period of the premiere. These films have not been seen since that time and have been newly transferred for this release. Also, one movement is accompanied with Subotnick’s original video experiments, never publicly screened before.

On the DVD: Subotnick and SUE-C collaborate on A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur: Revisited, based on the analog tape piece A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur and created especially for this DVD; one movement of Four Butterflies is presented with Subotnick’s experimental film, never before shown publicly; bonus interview with Subotnick, Miguel Frasconi and Sue Costabile on their collaboration (29:03); bonus interview with Subotnick and Ramon Sender on the early years of electronic music and the San Francisco Tape Center (21:20).

Until Spring: Revisited
4 Butterflies: Butterfly 1, Interlude 1, Butterfly 2, Butterfly 3, Interlude 2, Butterfly 4
DVD only: A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur: Revisited

Morton Subotnick, live electronics
Miguel Frasconi, live electronics and glass harp
Sue Costabile (SUE-C), live visuals (DVD only)