Hear & Now : Howard Skempton, etc 04.10.2014

[edashtav]

I heard only two works: Skempton's The Light Fantastic for Chamber Orchestra and his "classic" Lento for Symphony Orchestra composed, perhaps, a year earlier. I was disappointed by both. Almost a quarter of a century from its composition Lento seems dated, a failed experiment by Skempton in using limited, consonant harmony. Nothing wrong with the conceit but the execution and invention lacks a personal idiom and originality. The performance was good.

This was the first time that I'd encountered The Light Fantastic and found the performance lacking both lightness of touch and fantasy - it remained episodic and earthbound. I had anticipated a fresher, more dance-driven interpretation. As with Lento, I found my mind wandering to influences. The pizzicato section, for instance, took me back to Frank Martin's Etudes of fifty years earlier.

Small beer - even Then & There in the early 1990s, and far too insubstantial, faded and passe for "Hear and Now"?

I find Skempton works best in tiny doses. I recall with wry amusement undermining a House Music Competition in the the school where I taught Chemistry by teaching a 100 "volunteers" to play one of his micro piano pieces - as there were points to be earned for every entry, "my" House won before a note was played, or before the Judges walked like zombies out of the Hall where they'd heard so little played so often.

[amateur51]

Great to see you back among us edashtav, and posting an interesting thread too. Long may it last

[Serial_Apologist]

I heard only two works: Skempton's The Light Fantastic for Chamber Orchestra and his "classic" Lento for Symphony Orchestra composed, perhaps, a year earlier. I was disappointed by both. Almost a quarter of a century from its composition Lento seems dated, a failed experiment by Skempton in using limited, consonant harmony. Nothing wrong with the conceit but the execution and invention lacks a personal idiom and originality. The performance was good.

This was the first time that I'd encountered The Light Fantastic and found the performance lacking both lightness of touch and fantasy - it remained episodic and earthbound. I had anticipated a fresher, more dance-driven interpretation. As with Lento, I found my mind wandering to influences. The pizzicato section, for instance, took me back to Frank Martin's Etudes of fifty years earlier.

Small beer - even Then & There in the early 1990s, and far too insubstantial, faded and passe for "Hear and Now"?

I find Skempton works best in tiny doses. I recall with wry amusement undermining a House Music Competition in the the school where I taught Chemistry by teaching a 100 "volunteers" to play one of his micro piano pieces - as there were points to be earned for every entry, "my" House won before a note was played, or before the Judges walked like zombies out of the Hall where they'd heard so little played so often.

These were almost exactly my thoughts the last time "Lento" came up on the Forum; I got into a lot of trouble for it with a regular contributer with whom I am normally in general agreement on matters aesthetic, and the post-Cardew school in particular, but haven't altered my views from when I heard the work's broadcast premiere; so It feels good to have some unintended back-up.

Oh, and welcome back from me too, edashtav.

[Quarky]

Agreed entirely.

Strange thing - as recorded on iPlayer, sound quality and volume seemed much higher than the usual H&N recording. Discrimination in favour of Consonance?

[Beef Oven!]

Almost a quarter of a century from its composition Lento seems dated, a failed experiment by Skempton in using limited, consonant harmony. Nothing wrong with the conceit but the execution and invention lacks a personal idiom and originality.

I'll take your word on this.

But on a different level, it's an absolutely marvellous listen. Emotional and visceral - its flawlessness and consummate appeal is almost ineffable. A veritable a desert island piece.

[Beef Oven!]

These were almost exactly my thoughts the last time "Lento" came up on the Forum; I got into a lot of trouble for it with a regular contributer with whom I am normally in general agreement on matters aesthetic, and the post-Cardew school in particular, but haven't altered my views from when I heard the work's broadcast premiere; so It feels good to have some unintended back-up.

Oh, and welcome back from me too, edashtav.

People not sharing your view on music does not 'get you into trouble' - peer reinforcement is not necessarily a good thing, even on things as lofty as 'matters aesthetic' and the post-Cardew school.

And I don't think that edashtav 'backs you up', whatever that might mean.

[jayne lee wilson]

Great to see you back, Ed - god how I've missed you! Especially during the Proms.. here's to you...

Haven't heard this broadcast, but I have to say I was very taken with Lento when I first heard it in the 1990s, taping it off-air and playing it often. For me it belongs in a mini-tradition of intense miniatures, such as Arvo Part's Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten or Panufnik's Landscape. They're like atoms of minimalism, slowed and stretched out, musical micro-organisms enlarged and projected onto a giant screen...

[amateur51]

I'll take your word on this.

But on a different level, it's an absolutely marvellous listen. Emotional and visceral - its flawlessness and consummate appeal is almost ineffable. A veritable a desert island piece.

Just tucking into his third scotch of the evening when he wrote this, I imagine

[Colonel Danby]

I've always been a bit a fan of Howard Skempton from his early days with Cardew and the Scratch Orchestra (don't start me off on the old conspiracy theories as I believe them all): I was there when 'Lento' was done in the Albert Hall all those years ago, and it is a work of genius, a latter day 'Adagio for Strings'. Top composer in my book.

[MrGongGong]

Some of you might be interested in this

http://www.bcmg.org.uk/news-and-blogs/2013/12/field-notes-by-howard-skempton-and-matthew-harris/

[Bryn]

Well I'm a relative newcomer to Mr. S. Kempton's* work, having only got to hear any of it a little over 45 years ago. I was much impressed by the first performance of Lento at the Barbican on March 12 1991, and indeed by the recording made at the RAH during (though not at) the Proms that same year. However, later performances directed by the likes of Porcelijn and Rundell have, I think, got closer to the heart of the work than did Wigglesworth. Sorry to find that the work does not fit the prescription imposed on it by some others.

I do, however, wish Saturday's Hear and Now had not included Lento, much as I admired the performance. I'd much prefer to have heard something else by Howard that has not been played again and again on Radio 3.


* An early review of his Scumbling thus attributed the work.

[Richard Barrett]

I haven't heard Lento for years. I like it well enough, but I prefer Howard's more intimate works, the solo piano and accordion pieces in particular.

[Alison]

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

Enjoyed reading this conversation again.

[Serial_Apologist]

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

Enjoyed reading this conversation again.

Me too - and thanks Alison for drawing attention to last night's concert, missed by me: for others too, here's the listen again link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001vd91

[smittims]

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.