2012

[Guest]

What a year for contemporary composers. Surely there’s been nothing like it since broadcasts of Choral Evensong started back in 1926. A list of contemporary composers whose choral works have been broadcast this year in the Choral Evensong slots (including the John’s and King’s Carol services) runs as follows:

Thomas Adès
Richard Allain
Julian Anderson
Richard Baker
Sally Beamish
David Bednall
Richard Rodney Bennett
David Bevan
Judith Bingham x 2
Christopher Brown
Diana Burrell
Robert Busiakiewicz
Hilary Campbell
Richard Causton
Brian Chapple
Phillip Cooke
David Cooper
Mervyn Cousins
Neil Cox x 2
Jonathan Dove x 3
Andrew Downes
Philip Duffy
Michael Finnissy
Alexander Goehr
Howard Goodall
Patrick Gowers
Francis Grier x 2
Bo Hansson
Grayston Ives x 2
Francis Jackson x 2
Gabriel Jackson x 4
Richard Lloyd x 3
James Long
Pawel Lukaszewski x 2
James MacMillan x 3
Matthew Martin x 4
Peter Maxwell Davies
John McCabe
Vytautas Miskinis
Philip Moore x 5
Nico Muhly
Nigel Osborne
Roxanna Panufnik
Arvo Pärt
Joseph Phibbs
Julian Philips
Anthony Piccolo
Francis Pott x 4
Ed Rex
Christopher Robinson
John Rutter x 3
David Sawer
Richard Shephard x 2
Andrew Simpson
Howard Skempton x 2
Philip Stopford
Giles Swayne
Dobrinka Tabakova
John Tavener x 2
Guy Turner
Carl Vine
Michael Walsh

62 composers. What an amazing list, and what a tribute to the liveliness of the contemporary church composing scene, and to the numerous choral directors who encourage these composers by scheduling their music on a regular basis. And of course the Winner is...

Good old Humphrey Clucas, with SEVEN outings for his iconic Responses!

[ardcarp]

Well done for compiling the list! Yes, it's good to know people are still putting pen to paper (or fingers to the mouse). The Choirbook for the Queen obviously helped in getting broadcast performances. The list includes some very established names that 'history' has already decided are going to be around for a while. Interesting to see what filters will be applied by zeitgeists yet to come. (Sorry, a clumsy way of putting it!.)

[DracoM]

Would be interesting to know if R3 outside CE could boast such a catalogue of contemporary writing.

[teamsaint]

What a great list, and thanks for compiling it. Certainly points to a healthy scene.

If anybody would care to recommend a few out of that list for a listen(if they can be found on youtube etc), no doubt part timers like me would be grateful.

[decantor]

What startling statistics - thank you, maggie. They are all the more remarkable when one considers that there are fewer than 62 broadcasts in the year. Since I imagine many of the works in question will have been commissioned, some credit must also go to the churches that light the fire.

On a more personal note, if I may....... not having missed any such broadcast, I must have heard all those offerings, and I can count on the fingers of one hand (I think) all the occasions I've been disappointed. The achievement in composition - and in performance - should make us grateful for so inspirational a stream of liturgical music.

[Edit: such a pity, in the circumstances, that Jonathan Harvey's name does not appear.]

[decantor]

If anybody would care to recommend a few out of that list for a listen(if they can be found on youtube etc), no doubt part timers like me would be grateful.

ts, I've PM'ed you with a suggestion.