Allhallowtide: Souls and Saints Abide

by John Oliver

supported by

Joel Krutt / Pushing The Envelope thumbnail

Peter Blatherwick (PeterB on air) thumbnail

	/

Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$6 CAD or more
Subscription

Subscribe now to receive all the new music John Oliver creates, including this release and 14 back-catalog releases, delivered instantly to you via the Bandcamp app for iOS and Android. You’ll also get access to subscriber-only exclusives. Learn more.

Subscribe Now $35 CAD/year or more
Full Digital Discography

25

releases

Get all 25 John Oliver releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Celestial Wanderer, STOP WAR, On Freedom (soundtrack), Storm Gate, Messages From Beyond the Aether, WARFIRE WELFARE, Symphony No 2 - Iceberg, Symphony No 1 - Winter, and 17 more. , and , .
Excludes subscriber-only releases.

Purchasable with gift card

$97.83 CAD or more (35% OFF)

1.	All Saints' Dance 05:11	info	buy track
2.	Halloween 2 09:44	info	buy track
3.	All Souls' Dance 1 04:10	info	buy track
4.	Halloween 3 06:12	info	buy track
5.	All Souls' Dance 2 04:50	info	buy track

about

A remix album celebrating the 40th anniversary of the composition of "Halloween" for prepared piano.

At the age of 21, I wrote a piece for "total piano" (prepared piano, with extensive play on the strings and surfaces inside the piano) called "Halloween." It was an instant hit and performed in semi-theatrical productions several times over the years. This new album rips the music into shreds and reassembles them into various new mixes that are sometimes intense, sometimes hypnotizing.

This album is best listened to on high-quality headphones or loudspeakers

On October 31, 1980, at the age of 20, I decided not to go to a party because of the rainstorm. Instead, I went to my little garage studio, removed all of the panels from my full-sized upright piano, and played long into this night of wandering spirits. I interwove coins between some strings. I plucked, muted, scraped and hit the strings, and struck them with a yarn mallet. I elicited all sorts of vocalisations: invented language, hissing, singing, a scream, to evokes the spirits of the dead. The result was a solo piece for theatrical performer called, simply, "Halloween". It was performed numerous times in its first incarnation by my adventurous fellow student, Allison Voth, to whom the work is dedicated.

This album, Allhallowtide: Souls and Saints Abide is also dedicated to Allison, who wrote recently about her memory of those first performances: "I have nothing but fond memories of performing Halloween. In fact, I distinctly remember always being both exhilarated and completely drained after performing Halloween - a strange, euphoric sort of high. How wonderful to hear elements of it remixed. I love it and it brought me right back to those wonderful days of new artistic discovery and collaboration. Doing, doing, doing, not knowing where it would lead, but believing in every moment experienced."

Allhallowtide: Souls and Saints Abide is a remix of the elements of the original score.

I would like to thank Allison Voth especially for her enthusiastic performances of the first version of the music and continued support, and Andrew Czink for his thoughtful discussions while I finished the album.

What people are saying…

"I love the album - especially the two dances! The whole thing, and in particular Halloween 2 is perfect for play back on the front porch on Halloween night!

It’s definitely not your usual Halloween soundtrack…"

– Hildegard Westerkamp

credits

released October 30, 2020

John Oliver: composition, sound design, performance
Editing, mixing, mastering: John Oliver
johnolivermusic.com

Pianist on source recording: Allison Voth

Cover design and piano photos: Seiya Oliver
www.seiyaoliver.com

Booklet design and crumpled music photos: John Oliver

MAPL
Made in Canada

©℗ 2020 John Oliver (SOCAN). All rights reserved.

license

about

John Oliver Vancouver, British Columbia

electronic and soundscape music projects, ranging from classic musique concrète, to granular synthesis, and dark ambient. My instrumental and vocal music appears on several other labels and compilations. See my web site for details.

Recommendations

contact / help

Contact John Oliver

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

John Oliver recommends:

Zero Point Field
by Robert Scott Thompson

Robert Scott Thompson - great ambient music. 30 minutes of slow evolution that embraces the listener. Highly Recommended. John Oliver
go to album
Breaking News
by Hildegard Westerkamp

Seminal soundscape artist Westerkamp's first release in 20 years. Stories in sound of mothers, children and birth! Intensely personal commentary on what constitutes "news" in our lives. Deep listening John Oliver
go to album
Wasteland
by Purple Crow

Wasteland is a mesmerizing album to which I collaborated on two tracks called "Dead Inside 1" and "Dead Inside 2". Purple Crow is a Vancouver-based sound artist. John Oliver
go to album

If you like John Oliver, you may also like:

42 Days 四十二天
by Southeast of Rain 东南有雨

This stunning, beautiful project from Fujian duo Southeast of Rain 东南有雨 blends field recordings with rippling notes from the pipa. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 8, 2021
go to album
A Call to Arms
by Visionist

Visionist showcases vocals for the first time on his Mute debut, featuring collabs with members of Circuit des Yeux, Black Midi and more. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 5, 2021
go to album
Work of Progress & Etudes
by J.Lynch

J.Lynch (aka Thirty Pounds of Bone) plays with organic elements, including prepared piano, against electronics to impressionistic effect. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 21, 2023
go to album

Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Beans joins the show to discuss his album release, "ZWAARD".

listen now