Cascades in music, gentlest of all time’s shapes
Borges and Music
Music, states of happiness, mythology, faces belabored by time, certain twilights and certain places try to tell us something, or have said something we should not have missed, or are about to say something; this imminence of a revelation which does not occur is, perhaps, the aesthetic phenomenon.
—Borges, “The Wall and the Books”
Borges was fascinated by the tango, and published several milongas—Argentine folk songs filled with passion, honor, and vengeance. There have been numerous works of music inspired by Borges, from lyrical settings of his poetry to avant-garde compositions inspired by his fabulist prose. While it would be impossible to profile all the musicians who’ve been influenced by Borges, this section of the Garden offers notes, reviews, and commentary for the most famous, popular, or interesting. The section is organized by genre, with individual musicians listed alphabetically. Most links take you to a Garden profile, some take you offsite to the musician’s homepage or a recording of that work.
If you have any suggestions or additions, please contact the Garden!
Tango/Traditional
Jairo
Born Mario Rubén Gonzáles in Argentina, Jairo changed his name to an Aramaic word meaning “The Faithful Illuminated.” In 1977 he released an album named Jairo canta a Borges.
Valeria Munárriz
A traditional Argentine singer, Munárriz released an album called Chante Jorge Luis Borges, featuring fourteen settings of Borges’ poems and milongas.
Astor Piazzolla
The world-famous maestro of “nuevo tango,” Piazzolla has composed many wonderful works based on Borges’ poetry.
Offsite:
Many tango composers have set Borges’ poems and milongas to music; but only a few were written specifically by Borges for a particular composer or project. He wrote “Milonga de Albornoz” for José Basso, which appeared on the 1966 album 14 con el tango produced by Ben Molar. In 1969 he wrote “Milonga de Manuel Flores” for the film Invasión. The milonga was set to music by the legendary tango composer Aníbal Troilo. And finally, he wrote “Milonga del muerto” and “Milonga del infiel” for Sebastián Piana.
Rock
Genesis
This group of seminal prog rockers committed “Squonk” to vinyl in 1976.
High Mountain Tempel
San Diego space-rock duo gave their first album the Tlönish name of Pacific Sky Burial (Axaxaxas mlö).
The Mountain Goats
Fronted by singer, songwriter, and author John Darnielle, a Borges poem spurred their 2020 song, “Wolf Count.”
PopCanon
PopCanon were a cheerfully demented and wildly talented group from Gainesville, Florida. Among other literary treasures, PopCanon’s debut albums contains a Borges-inspired song called “Labyrinths.”
Offsite:
Blaak Heat
The third E.P. by this French-American psychedelic band is named Shifting Mirrors, and makes allusions to Borges’ story “The Approach to Al-Mu’tasim.” [Link to Bandcamp]
Emma Zunz
This Polish industrial band takes their name from a Borges story. [Link to Bandcamp]
Arturo Meza
This Mexican singer/songwriter released Borges: Homenaje en el centenario de su natalicio in 1999, a musical tribute to Borges. [Link to Discogs]
Rick Miller
Canadian progressive rock artist Rick Miller has recorded two Tlön-related tracks, “The Fall of Uqbar” and “Return to Uqbar.” Kind of a mild, Gilmour-era Pink Floyd tinged with exoticism. He also has a song called “The Garden of Forking Paths.” [Links to Bandcamp]
Secret Chiefs 3
Recording their music at “Forking Paths Studios,” this avant-garde band takes inspiration from the works of Borges. [Link to Label page]
Classical
Gheorghi Arnaoudov
Specializing in the creation of mystical spaces, this Bulgarian minimalist has composed numerous works based on the fiction—and nonfiction—of Jorge Luis Borges.
Mason Bates
This American composer dedicated his Anthology of Fantastic Zoology to conductor Riccardo Muti. As one might expect from the name, it’s inspired by Borges’ Book of Imaginary Beings.
Lawrence Casserley
An avant-garde electronics composer from Britain, Lawrence Casserley’s albums Labyrinths and The Edge of Chaos contains works based on Borges’ short stories and poetry.
William Grosvenor Neil
An American composer who worked with the Chicago Lyric Opera, Neil set the poem “Límites” to music in 1977.
Robert Parris
This American composer’s Book of Imaginary Beings is inspired by Borges’ famous compendium.
Roger Reynolds
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and physicist Roger Reynolds has three separate pieces that incorporate texts from Borges.
Offsite:
Brian Richard Earl
Earl composed Sonata for Flute and Piano, inspired by Borges’ poem “Tankas.” [Link to Borges Center, which offers the tracks for downloading]
Tristan Murail
French spectralist Tristan Murail composed Les ruins circulaires for violin and clarinet. [Link to YouTube]
Mark Saya
Composer of the percussion work, From the Book of Imaginary Beings. [Link to Vimeo]
Diego Vega
Composer of Hlör u fang axaxaxas mlö for clarinet, violin, cello and piano. [Link to Borges Center, which offers the tracks for downloading]
Jazz
Kyle Bruckmann
Bay Area oboe-savant and noise connoisseur Kyle Bruckmann named two pieces on his 2002 album Six Synaptics after “words” from Borges’ “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius.”
Offsite:
Evan Parker
British saxophone player Evan Parker pays homage to Borges on “Time, That Other Labyrinth,” an atonal improvisation on his album Mars Song. [Link to YouTube]
Matt Pavolka
New York jazz bassist Matt Pavolka recorded a song “The Garden of Forking Paths” on his 2008 album, Something People Can Use. [Link to Bandcamp]
John Zorn
In February 2022, the wildly eclectic John Zorn released A Garden of Forking Paths. According to Tzadik, “Zorn draws inspiration from the enigmatic short stories of Argentine philosopher/writer Jorge Luis Borges. Like a collection of short stories, each composition is a miniature world in itself and touches on philosophy and mysticism as well as music. Blending folk, classical, jazz, bluegrass, world music and more, this is truly music of the 21st century—unclassifiable and unique.” [Link to YouTube]
Author: Allen B. Ruch
Last Modified: 18 November 2024
Main Borges Page: The Garden of Forking Paths
Contact: quail(at)shipwrecklibrary(dot)com