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House Blessing

by Jon Mueller

supported by
Josh Martines
Josh Martines thumbnail
Josh Martines As a kid, once in awhile my relatives and I would converge on the Sandpiper restaurant in Bailey’s Harbor for lunch, and then drive to Ridges beach to lay in the sun. This chapel is right in that neighborhood and I was always so captivated by it, so different than anything else around. Because of these strong memories, this album feels personal and hauntingly sentimental. But even if I wasn’t familiar with the structure itself, the sounds you’ve made with its help are incredible.
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  • Limited edition CD + hardback book
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A limited edition of 100 CDs housed in an A5 sized hardback 8-page book, filled with the full color photographs of Chris Rosenau taken around the recording location the day of the session. Printed on uncoated stock with a matte laminated cover. Glass mastered CD with full color print.

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

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1.
Chapel 1 09:16
2.
Chapel 2 09:04
3.
Chapel 3 09:35
4.
Chapel 4 09:11

about

A house blessing is something usually done to a building.
This project is evidence of what a building can do to you.

Winifred and Donald Boynton handcrafted the Boynton Chapel with vision and determination between 1939 and 1947 in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. The small building is modeled after a 12th century Norwegian Stavkirke style. The Boyntons studied woodworking in order to recreate their ideas, which is no small feat considering the amount of highly detailed carving throughout the interior and exterior of the building. Winifred Boynton had already studied and been a visual artist, but the interior murals she painted add a level of detail and authenticity that makes an entrance into the Chapel feel like one has actually stepped back in time.

It took nine years to complete the Chapel. Nine years is a substantial amount of time for an art project, particularly one that wouldn’t be sold in order to compensate for that time and effort. It was, as they say, a labor of love.

This overview merely scratches the surface of the Boyntons and their project, but even in this brevity it raises important questions for those who read it. What is meaningful about turning ideas into reality? What might inspire a long-term vision to make something that comes from such a personal source? This recording was made inside the Boynton Chapel on September 30, 2018 as a document to further examine those questions.

Initially, the Chapel seemed like an interesting location for a recording, but upon visiting the site and learning more about the will and dedication of its designers, it became a more meaningful project.

The use of gongs and subtle percussion on the recording signifies the wonder and effect of vibrations, of ideas and energy, inviting focused listening and thought, perhaps regarding what ideas one might want to make reality.

Recorded at a high sample rate, the level of detail offers remote listeners a sense of the intimacy of the space and sound within it. Regardless of one’s religious affiliation, a chapel is an environment for contemplation. The aim of this recording is to extend that environment into one’s own.

credits

released January 29, 2019

Recorded by Hans Christian via mobile studio at 88.2kHz/24 bit directly to two track.

Mastered by James Plotkin.

Photography by Chris Rosenau.

CD/book design and layout by Jon Minor.

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Rhythmplex Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Directed by drummer and percussionist Jon Mueller since 2009.

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