Music for a French Elevator and Other Short Format Oddities by the Books
Encyclopedia
Music for a French Elevator and Other Short Format Oddities by The Books (often referred to as simply Music for a French Elevator) is a 2006 release by The Books
. It is a compendium on mini CD
of four pieces created for the "1%" art
and sound installation
in the Ministry of Culture
in Paris
, France
in 2004. The pieces were created to be played in the elevator
of the Ministry, giving the release its title. Following the initial four tracks (those designed for the elevator) are "several 'classic' spoken word
tracks" taken from The Books
' sample libraries. http://www.thebooksmusic.com/garage/CDs2.html
This release was distributed on tour in 2006 and is available from The Books online store.
The tracks on this limited are generally very short. The first four tracks (designed for the aforementioned French elevator) feature many samples of French language
phrase
s. Track 12 ("Three Day Night") bears some resemblance to the track "If Not Now, Whenever" from The Books
' previous album, Lost and Safe
, and may be an early version of the track.
The Books
The Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
. It is a compendium on mini CD
Mini CD
Mini CDs, or “pocket CDs” are CDs with a smaller diameter and one third the capacity.-Formats:Amongst the various formats are the* Mini CD single, a small disc. The format is mainly used for audio CD singles in certain regions , much like the old vinyl single...
of four pieces created for the "1%" art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and sound installation
Sound installation
Sound installation is an intermedia and time based art form. It is an expansion of an art installation in the sense that it includes the sound element and therefore the time element...
in the Ministry of Culture
Minister of Culture (France)
The Minister of Culture is, in the Government of France, the cabinet member in charge of national museums and monuments; promoting and protecting the arts in France and abroad; and managing the national archives and regional "maisons de culture"...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 2004. The pieces were created to be played in the elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
of the Ministry, giving the release its title. Following the initial four tracks (those designed for the elevator) are "several 'classic' spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
tracks" taken from The Books
The Books
The Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
' sample libraries. http://www.thebooksmusic.com/garage/CDs2.html
This release was distributed on tour in 2006 and is available from The Books online store.
The tracks on this limited are generally very short. The first four tracks (designed for the aforementioned French elevator) feature many samples of French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
phrase
Phrase
In everyday speech, a phrase may refer to any group of words. In linguistics, a phrase is a group of words which form a constituent and so function as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. A phrase is lower on the grammatical hierarchy than a clause....
s. Track 12 ("Three Day Night") bears some resemblance to the track "If Not Now, Whenever" from The Books
The Books
The Books are an American duo, formed in New York City in 1999, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Nick Zammuto and cellist Paul de Jong. Their releases typically incorporate samples of obscure sounds and speech...
' previous album, Lost and Safe
Lost and Safe
Lost and Safe is the third album by The Books. It is in the same style of their previous albums, continuing their rich use of samples as diverse as Raymond Baxter , W. H...
, and may be an early version of the track.
Track listing
- "Fralité" – 1:18
- "Egaberté" – 0:53
- "Liternité" – 1:21
- "It's Musiiiiic!" – 0:28
- "The Joy of Nature" – 0:47
- "Meditation Outtakes" – 1:03
- "A Long Villainous Sequence" – 0:35
- "Millions of Millions" – 2:04
- "Of the Word God" – 1:03
- "Ghost train Digest" – 2:38
- "You'll Never Be Alone" – 1:23
- "Three Day Night" – 1:01
- "Ah..., I See" – 0:20