Persian Surgery Dervishes

Persian Surgery Dervishes is a minimalist recording of two live solo electric organ concerts, the first held in Los Angeles on (18 April 1971) and the second in Paris on (24 May 1972), by avant-garde minimalist composer Terry Riley (see also "A Rainbow in Curved Air" and "In C" inter alia). The two very different performances of the same composition "Persian Surgery Dervishes" are meant to show the importance of improvisation in Riley's music. Riley plays a modified Yamaha electric organ tuned in just intonation.

The original double-record version was released by legendary French label Shandar, then republished by Mantra Records, first, and Dunya Records later. There existed also a single-record version, also on Shandar, containing just the Paris concert, which had been sponsored by the label itself.

Parts of this album served as soundtrack for a French film released in 1973, named "La chute d'un corps" and directed by a renowned French columnist, fr:Michel Polac.

List of tracks

CD 1 Performance One - Los Angeles, April 18, 1971 Part 1 20'45" Part 2 22'00"

CD 2 Performance Two - Paris, May 24, 1972 Part 1 25'00" Part 2 22'45"

Composition and improvisations: Terry Riley (Electric organ + feedback)

References

• Album cover / sleeve notes
• Ed Maurer's Discography of Shandar Records
• The Just Intonation Primer