Ferneyhough

[Joseph K]

Have you booked your tickets yet? To be interviewed by Howard Skempton, eh? Talk about chalk and cheese re. compositional outcomes.

I've just booked my tickets.

[Joseph K]

Opinions on Shadowtime?

I know it received some flak for not depicting the political aspects of Benjamin's thought and have read that some people find the words glib... but I love the music and really like the words. In fact, I know of no other work of music theatre/opera whose words I find so appealingly surreal. Ok, this is at times taken to the point of being wacky, which arguably might be inappropriate - but not for this listener! But the music is always very interesting, expressive and often beautiful. As always with this kind of music, massive props and respect to the performers!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Opinions on Shadowtime?

It's the work I have greatest difficulty with - I have the complete score, and keep intending to do some extended listening both to the individual scenes and to the whole thing with it. Maybe that should be my New Year's Resolution. The trouble so far is that as soon as I see the discs which surround the work, I see so many other pieces that I'm really eager to listen to - so I put off Shadowtime for another date ... yet again.

As always with this kind of music, massive props and respect to the performers!

Absolutely! (Or at least I think so - I presume "massive props" is complimentary?)

[Joseph K]

I presume "massive props" is complimentary?)

Yes. Sorry - bit of a colloquialism, that.

Personally, I find works like Shadowtime easier to get into than works which either contain only one instrument or one family of instruments (e.g. some of the music for string quartet). The variety of timbres and therefore colours available makes the music more appealing...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes - I can follow that. (Just you wait until somebody records the complete Carceri d'Invenzione, or releases the Elgar Howarth recording of Transit on CD, though!) Personally, I'm always astonished by the sheer range of different "colours" that Ferneyhough gets from single instruments and the String Quartet.

[Bryn]

Yes - I can follow that. (Just you wait until somebody records the complete Carceri d'Invenzione, or releases the Elgar Howarth recording of Transit on CD, though!) Personally, I'm always astonished by the sheer range of different "colours" that Ferneyhough gets from single instruments and the String Quartet.

The Howarth Transit on Youtube is at 128 ABR AAC, which is pretty acceptable in the interim.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Howarth Transit on Youtube is at 128 ABR AAC, which is pretty acceptable in the interim.

- youTube the only ready source for Firecycle Beta and Epicycle, too.

There was a pretty damn fine performance of Transit recorded at a concert in the RFH about 20 years ago (part two was Reich's Music for 18 Musicians - an unexpectedly - as far as I was concerned - successful pairing) - I'd settle for a CD of that if the Howarth recording can't get reissued.

[Richard Barrett]

I'd settle for a CD of that if the Howarth recording can't get reissued.

I have quite a nice digitised version of it if anyone's interested.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have quite a nice digitised version of it if anyone's interested.

I am interested, and would be very grateful!

[teamsaint]

I am interested, and would be very grateful!

Any right thinking person would dig it.

[Richard Barrett]

OK you cats, PM me for a link. (I'm travelling at the moment so it isn't likely to be ready until late this evening.)

[Joseph K]

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed the talk and concerts. Were any other forumistas there? Some of what was said at the talk, I'll admit, went over my head, but nonetheless, it was still interesting hearing about the abstract kind of thought processes that go into BF's music (and other's like Stockhausen and Ligeti which were also mentioned) … and of course reading the program notes which are no less interestingly philosophical and abstract! It was great to hear the music, even though one of my ears is blocked up. Sadly, I started to feel unwell during the latter half of the last concert, which was unfortunate (during the very haunting Funerailles)… but I did get to shake hands with Ferneyhough, and even managed to choke out that I really admired his music - especially Shadowtime, which I said was very surreal and colourful. There were a couple of pieces by people connected with the Birmingham Conservatoire which weren't too great, but a nice piece by Jonathan Harvey - Scena. It was unexpected to hear Ferneyhough's Adagissimo performed by some of the NEXT musicians - I'd assumed this would be performed by the Arditti Quartet, who performed the rest of the string quartet music (the Dum Transisset) - but they performed the Adagissimo very well, I thought.

[Bryn]

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed the talk and concerts. Were any other forumistas there? Some of what was said at the talk, I'll admit, went over my head, but nonetheless, it was still interesting hearing about the abstract kind of thought processes that go into BF's music (and other's like Stockhausen and Ligeti which were also mentioned) … and of course reading the program notes which are no less interestingly philosophical and abstract! It was great to hear the music, even though one of my ears is blocked up. Sadly, I started to feel unwell during the latter half of the last concert, which was unfortunate (during the very haunting Funerailles)… but I did get to shake hands with Ferneyhough, and even managed to choke out that I really admired his music - especially Shadowtime, which I said was very surreal and colourful. There were a couple of pieces by people connected with the Birmingham Conservatoire which weren't too great, but a nice piece by Jonathan Harvey - Scena. It was unexpected to hear Ferneyhough's Adagissimo performed by some of the NEXT musicians - I'd assumed this would be performed by the Arditti Quartet, who performed the rest of the string quartet music (the Dum Transisset) - but they performed the Adagissimo very well, I thought.

Was there any evidence of the event, or parts of it, being recorded, either as audio or video?

[Joseph K]

Was there any evidence of the event, or parts of it, being recorded, either as audio or video?

I could have imagined it, but I think the talk was streamed live? Ah yes - I've just searched Birmingham Conservatoire on facebook. There's a video of the talk there.

[Bryn]

I could have imagined it, but I think the talk was streamed live? Ah yes - I've just searched Birmingham Conservatoire on facebook. There's a video of the talk there.

Can you offer a link, for those of us not on facebook, please?