musak for Exp 4

Dear reader

The music used on exp 4 is a cover of a peice called Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet (1971) (Wiki) by Gavin Bryars. It is a peice which took an improvised hymn sung by a homeless person which was recorded and played in the background as the band slowly built up melody over it to form a beautiful rising sound before fading out into the background again. The poignency is recognised in this extract from the gavin bryars webpage http://www.gavinbryars.com/Pages/jesus_blood_never_failed_m.html

"The door of the recording room opened on to one of the large painting studios and I left the tape copying, with the door open, while I went to have a cup of coffee. When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping.
I was puzzled until I realised that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man's singing. This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple, though gradually evolving, orchestral accompaniment that respected the tramp's nobility and simple faith. Although he died before he could hear what I had done with his singing, the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his spirit and optimism."

The peice I have used is a later cover by the band Jars of Clay