9th - 13th March 2015: Contemporary British Women Composers

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  • ferneyhoughgeliebte
    Gone fishin'
    • Sep 2011
    • 30163
    #1

    9th - 13th March 2015: Contemporary British Women Composers

    Apologies for the prosaic Thread title - I tried to think of something more dynamic, but when - after several attempts - I arrived at "Young Women Today", I decided that this wasn't going to happen. So, reactions to the Music heard on this week's programmes.

    Cheryl FRANCES-HOAD (Monday, 9th)

    My own overall impression was of a collection of pieces generally well-crafted, safe, and rather anonymous; I cannot imagine that anyone would find these works offensive, but nor can I imagine anyone responding with any great enthusiasm to them - making arrangements to attend a concert specifically to hear one of her works. The choral There is No Rose was an impressive piece for a 14-year-old, and could well find its way into that sort of repertory. 5 Rackets I found annoying; but perhaps its intention is to provide repertoire for amateurs and professionals to play together - I might find it more engaging to play than to listen to. One Life Stand doodled the time away (adding nothing to the far more interesting verses) and Memoria had some engaging ideas over its quarter-hour span - but, again as far as I'm concerned, nothing that would make the prospect of seeing the composer's name on a programme an exciting, unmissable one.

    But, by far the most interesting sounds were to be found in her setting of Psalm 1: for once, and just once in this programme, there were sounds that grabbed me by the ears and demanded (and repaid) my attention and quickened my pulse as I listened. A sense of successfully stepping outside of the (very comfortable) comfort zone of the other pieces here which suggests a composer of considerable ability, worth hearing. I hope her career "success" doesn't take her away from further exploring this side of her creativity.
    [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]
    Tags: None
  • Nick Armstrong
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 26572
    #2
    I presumed to add the title, as per the R3 listing, which seemed to me to be unobjectionable. Might make it easier to search for, as time goes on...

    Do let me know if you'd prefer to revert to the more elusive 'dates only' title...!
    "...the isle is full of noises,
    Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
    Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
    Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

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    • aka Calum Da Jazbo
      Late member
      • Nov 2010
      • 9173
      #3
      i was quite taken with all her pieces ferneyhoughgeliebte
      According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.

      Comment

      • ferneyhoughgeliebte
        Gone fishin'
        • Sep 2011
        • 30163
        #4
        Originally posted by Caliban View Post
        I presumed to add the title, as per the R3 listing, which seemed to me to be unobjectionable. Might make it easier to search for, as time goes on...

        Do let me know if you'd prefer to revert to the more elusive 'dates only' title...!
        No, that's fine - I was worried about plagiarism, but the "dates only" was a little "spare".

        Calum - glad to hear it . Any other views from anyone?
        [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

        Comment

        • Nick Armstrong
          Host
          • Nov 2010
          • 26572
          #5
          Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
          Any other views from anyone?
          Access Denied
          http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-business/11461185/BBC-Radio-3-composer-of-the-week-Meet-the-young-women-fighting-back.html
          "...the isle is full of noises,
          Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
          Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
          Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

          Comment

          • Beresford
            Full Member
            • Apr 2012
            • 557
            #6
            Charlotte Bray (Friday 13th)

            I found her music very listenable, which means I wasn't wanting to fast forward to the next track because it was too bland, or switching off because it was too operatic or wacky for my taste. I will Listen Again to the quintet played at the end, as it seemed quite beguiling, but at the time I was too tired to listen hard to the sound world she created. She lives in Berlin, so maybe she will find a way of pushing the boundaries.

            Comment

            • StephenO
              #7
              Dobrinka Tabakova's music came as a real revelation. Highly accessible and thank you, Amazon, for the speedy delivery. I just wonder why her work isn't better known. Would it be different were she a man?

              This brings the total number of female composers represented in my CD collection to a rather paltry four - Hildegard of Bingen, Elizabeth Maconchy, Judith Weir and now Tabakova.

              Comment

              • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                Gone fishin'
                • Sep 2011
                • 30163
                #8
                Originally posted by StephenO View Post
                Dobrinka Tabakova's music came as a real revelation. Highly accessible and thank you, Amazon, for the speedy delivery. I just wonder why her work isn't better known. Would it be different were she a man?
                Oh, dear. Well, on the positive side, your opinion is shared by Barbirollians, who initiated a Thread devoted to her ECM CD.

                I have spent about eight hours listening to her stuff (including both transmissions of this CotW programme, and a concert at which she was also present) and can find nothing commendable in it. My inability to discuss it without resorting to inflammatory and negative vocabulary was the reason I stopped commenting on this Thread. Her work's not neglected - she receives frequent performances - and plenty on youtube.

                Of the five composers featured, I think that Charlotte Bray was the most accomplished; but it was the work of Anna Clyne that seemed by far the most adventurous and most interested me and that I'd actively seek out in concert.
                [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                Comment

                • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                  Gone fishin'
                  • Sep 2011
                  • 30163
                  #9
                  I should add that all five programmes are still available to "Listen Again" for another ten days or so.

                  BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week - Episode guide
                  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tnxf/episodes/guide
                  All episodes of Composer of the Week
                  [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                  Comment

                  • Roehre
                    #10
                    Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                    Oh, dear. Well, on the positive side, your opinion is shared by Barbirollians, who initiated a Thread devoted to her ECM CD.

                    I have spent about eight hours listening to her stuff (including both transmissions of this CotW programme, and a concert at which she was also present) and can find nothing commendable in it. My inability to discuss it without resorting to inflammatory and negative vocabulary was the reason I stopped commenting on this Thread. Her work's not neglected - she receives frequent performances - and plenty on youtube.
                    ....
                    I'm afraid I share your opinion FHG

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