Hear & Now : Howard Skempton, etc 04.10.2014

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks, I missed that. Howard was a breath of fresh air in the somewhat stuffy air of British composing. I enjoyed his approach to music.

Well worth listening to - the new piano concerto was a delight, almost the sort of thing Malcolm Arnold would have composed, and the rest of the pieces were more than interesting.

[esmondo]

I missed the broadcast too, which is a shame because it's exactly the kind of thing I want to be hearing on R3.

I was completely unaware of Skempton until I went to see the BBC Welsh play Lento in Cardiff a few years back. I was fascinated by the music - the irregular rhythms that leave you in doubt of where the beat is, and then the way it just stops without attempting any kind of "ending". Oddly though, I have the "Ancora" CD featuring this work but find it an unsatisfactory listen - the live orchestral experience is always better (discuss).

I've tried listening to the Piano Concerto a couple of times but I've found it disappointingly unsubstantial.

I do greatly enjoy playing some of his little pieces from the OUP "Collected Piano Pieces", though - things like Saltaire Melody and Quavers 5.

[smittims]

I don't know if Faber Music's little selection of Skempton's shorter piano pieces is still in print. They were delightful, and a welcome change for amateurs who would not have the technique to tackle a Tippett or Boulez sonata.

[Serial_Apologist]

I was completely unaware of Skempton until I went to see the BBC Welsh play Lento in Cardiff a few years back. I was fascinated by the music - the irregular rhythms that leave you in doubt of where the beat is, and then the way it just stops without attempting any kind of "ending". Oddly though, I have the "Ancora" CD featuring this work but find it an unsatisfactory listen - the live orchestral experience is always better (discuss).

I've tried listening to the Piano Concerto a couple of times but I've found it disappointingly unsubstantial.

I would agree were you to have voiced the same opinions about the two works in question, but swapped them around!

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't know if Faber Music's little selection of Skempton's shorter piano pieces is still in print. They were delightful, and a welcome change for amateurs who would not have the technique to tackle a Tippett or Boulez sonata.

Tackling any one of Tippett's piano sonatas would be a doddle compared to Boulez's!

[edashtav]

Did anyone hear Howard Skempton’s Piano Concerto last night?

Enjoyed reading this conversation again.

Goodness gracious, I missed that, Alison . I must locate it on SOUNDS.

Oh dear, only one channel working Skempton may have been a minimalist but …

[Keraulophone]

We once commissioned a carol from Howard Skempton for Truro's Nine Lessons with [sic] Carols. He attended the rehearsals and first performance.

We didn't enjoy singing it very much - 'clever' repetitive minimalism doesn't really lend itself to that well-loved occasion. AFAIK it has not been sung since.