Thea Musgrave: b. 1928

[Serial_Apologist]

I thought a thread devoted to a venerable personality, and arguably our foremost woman composer should be on here, while at the same time wondering if the reason this was not started earlier might possibly have something to do with composers' over-use, working in middle ground stylstically, of the octatonic scale as the basis for most of the melody and harmony rendering the music predictable and somewhat limited in mood? The result sounds somehow impoverished, like a tension-creating device taken from much older musics in which it provided just one element in a wider and richer range of expression and vocabulary to that end. Ms Musgrave is someone I warm to and respect more as a person than for her music.

[BBMmk2]

She’s written at least one brass band work that I know of, maybe more. I really liked the composition she had performed at The Proms this year.

[Bryn]

She'll be deserted on Sunday morning, and again next Friday.

[Serial_Apologist]

She'll be deserted on Sunday morning, and again next Friday.

Ah! - just caught on. Dessert on the island with slipped discs. The concerto for oboe and Evelyn Glennie confirms my impression above, never managing to escape the folorn slightly claustrophobic atmosphere conduced by the harmonic ambience, which seems at odds with the upbeatness felt in the interviews. I think I liked the Burns settings better than anything, apart from the late 60s works like the Concerto for Orchestra heard near the start of the week.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I think I liked the Burns settings better than anything, apart from the late 60s works like the Concerto for Orchestra heard near the start of the week.

Curious - the Burns settings broadcast in the Afternoon on 3 slots during the week struck me as by far the thinnest of her Music. I was impressed once again by the quality of the Music I heard on the CotW programmes, and more than once was struck by similarities with Carter. The piece that most bowled me over was Niobe, the work for solo Oboe and electronics: breath-takingly beautiful.

And I hope that, if I reach 90, I'll be in as fine a fettle as she is. (In fact - I hope I'll be that mentally vigorous if I get to 70!)

[Serial_Apologist]

Curious - the Burns settings broadcast in the Afternoon on 3 slots during the week struck me as by far the thinnest of her Music. I was impressed once again by the quality of the Music I heard on the CotW programmes, and more than once was struck by similarities with Carter. The piece that most bowled me over was Niobe, the work for solo Oboe and electronics: breath-takingly beautiful.

And I hope that, if I reach 90, I'll be in as fine a fettle as she is. (In fact - I hope I'll be that mentally vigorous if I get to 70!)

If I am at 73 next month () you certainly will be, ferney!