Het Kabinet by Cor Fuhler

Cor Fuhler - keyolin, Hohner guitaret, Niglo 1, roll-up piano,
Aleks Kolkowski - strohviol, singing saw,
Jacques Palinckx - lute, resonator guitar,
Gert-Jan Prins - timpani, radio, electronics,
Peter van Bergen - doublebassclarinet,
Michael Vatcher - glasharmonica, 2 m bass drum, percussion,
Frank van Bommel - harmonium, metalophones.

Notes from Cor's blog (15 December 2008):

Dutch - English dictionary:
Kabinet: cabinet (government), office, bureau (piece of furniture), gallery/collection.

With the more usual instruments (piano, saxophone, violin, drums, etc etc etc) there are lots of unwritten rules/habits/assumptions you are semi-aware of, but there are even more at a subconsious level. E.g. when a trumpet plays with a double bass, there is a history, influencing what you play, things you (and the audience) have learned because this situation has happened before, records that have set in your mind, etc
Now, if you combine a keyolin, lute, timpani, glasharmonica, harmonium, radio, doublebass-clarinet, electronics, singing saw and a strohviol, there are none of these historic and often burdoning relationships.....

With this in mind I set up a group for the Doek festival 5 1/2. With musicians that are used to playing in the more traditional setting, but with a very open mind, playing unusual instruments that have no history in this particular combination.
When MIMEO started there was a similar exploratory feeling. Technical developments of live electronics and the way we used them, was very new. So the world was open and full of surprise and wonder.

Another aspect is my sympathy for the unusual, and often failed attempts to create something new. It is my belief history is a road taken by chance. If you made/discovered some things that accidentally fit on that road, you are the Nobel prise winner, the cult figure, and what not. If you made something not on that path, you will just disappear in the annals of history, but you are absolutely of no less value IMO.

The result with "het Kabinet" is for sure not the best record ever made, but nevertheless, it is intriguing and often funny. Warning: a resistance for some noodling is a requirement... But in the Netherlands, that has been cultivated a bit already, in a different way then other parts of Europe, which is yet another level/layer/friction.

Anyway, NOW AVAILABLE!!!! the Kabinet.......
25 made, and I doubt I will ever sell them.
(For sale at concerts only, sorry about that)"

Conundrom was founded by Cor Fuhler (1964-2020) releasing limited edition CD-Rs with beautifully hand-made artwork by Cor. This page is now managed by friends in Australia. All proceeds will go to Cor's estate.
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