Georgi Ivanovitch Gurdjieff

Gurdjieff (born Jan 13, 1866, died Oct. 29, 1949) has been a very big influence on me throughout much of my life.  After reading P D Ouspensky’s “In Search of the Miraculous” when I was 17, I found my way to “All and Everything” while living in India, a few years later.  I read the first two books:  “Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson” and “Meetings With Remarkable Men” the requisite 3 times, as told to do by the author.  As a budding musician, I tried to compose within the numerical framework he had laid out—or something of the kind.

Fast forward many years.  His ideas have remained foremost in my thinking.  I’ve met only a handful of people in my life who ever read these works.  Then a few years ago, the books came out in paperback, including the arcane 3rd work:  “Life is Real Only Then, When ‘I Am'”. I read it—-didn’t do much for me.  Considered that maybe my fascination had ended.

Now appears Gurdjieff’s “Harmonic Development”—the Complete Harmonium Recordings 1948-1949.  Plenty of text to accompany the 100 plus hours of musical—-what?  Meanderings?  Put-on?  Master works?  I don’t know.  Help!