… this week was a major turning point for me, wherein I was given front-door access to the hallowed halls where Parmegiani, Bayle, Ferrari, etc. had all convened & executed such an amazing body of work. Parmegiani's ghost, pre-departure, loomed large in the hallways at night, & it was him I thought of the most during those sleepless nights, giddy as a schoolboy in FAO Schwarz on Christmas eve, barely containing my excitement & bewilderment on being allowed back in the next morning. It was an excitement fostered by the music itself, which, to be frank, remains the high-water mark of what can be done with the tape-studio as an instrument … its finesse & clarity unparalleled even 45 years after those initial pieces were issued.
The recent vinyl issues of "L'oeil Ecoute," "Dedans Dehors," & the "De Natura Sonorum" suite have been crucial in turning on a new audience to his work, but I recommend clearing out a few days & contending with the "L'Oeuvre Musicale en 12" set straight-on (esp. the third disc) in a room free of distraction (this is not a music you can fully grasp with your attention divided) through a great stereo setup ; it's as significant & rewarding a listening experience as you're likely to have.