Pauline Oliveros, "The Wheel of Time"; H&N, Sat, 25/11/17; 10:00pm

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Live from the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, The Riot Ensemble present the UK premiere of the late Pauline Oliveros(1932-2016)'s work for String Quartet and tape, The Wheel of Time. Originally written for the Kronos Quartet in 1982, the work has not been performed since those early performances, and the tape was "mislaid" - for the Festival, the Kronos members searched and "located" the tape, together with the performing materials. Coupled with Oliveros' text-based Autobiography of Lady Steinway, these works are part of the weekend celebration of the composer's work (earlier in the afternoon, ICE and distractfold are also featuring her work, including a performance of her 75-minute Primordial/Lift which I'm hoping will be recorded by the Beeb for future broadcast) - there is a poignancy about these concerts, as Oliveros had agreed to make her first appearance at the Festival (in what would have been her 85th birthday year) shortly before her death, which was announced at this time during last year's Festival.


Oh ... and there's other stuff, too: Enno Poppe(b1969)'s Fleisch;and Ann Cleare(b1983)'s the square of yellow light that is your window, both performed by ensemble Nickel; Lauren Sarah Hayes(b1981)'s Mini Savior Opt.; and duo Archer Spade (pianist Nick Millevoi and trombonist Dan Blacksberg) contribute an improvisation to end the concert.

The whole event is presented as a mix tape, each work performed in a continuous stream, with no commentary or applause between. Broadcast Live from Bates Mill Blending Shed, I shall be listening from the warmth of my own home!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09gxj10

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The whole event is presented as a mix tape, each work performed in a continuous stream, with no commentary or applause between.

Oh no it wasn't!

[Lat-Literal]

Live from the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, The Riot Ensemble present the UK premiere of the late Pauline Oliveros(1932-2016)'s work for String Quartet and tape, The Wheel of Time. Originally written for the Kronos Quartet in 1982, the work has not been performed since those early performances, and the tape was "mislaid" - for the Festival, the Kronos members searched and "located" the tape, together with the performing materials. Coupled with Oliveros' text-based Autobiography of Lady Steinway, these works are part of the weekend celebration of the composer's work (earlier in the afternoon, ICE and distractfold are also featuring her work, including a performance of her 75-minute Primordial/Lift which I'm hoping will be recorded by the Beeb for future broadcast) - there is a poignancy about these concerts, as Oliveros had agreed to make her first appearance at the Festival (in what would have been her 85th birthday year) shortly before her death, which was announced at this time during last year's Festival.


Oh ... and there's other stuff, too: Enno Poppe(b1969)'s Fleisch;and Ann Cleare(b1983)'s the square of yellow light that is your window, both performed by ensemble Nickel; Lauren Sarah Hayes(b1981)'s Mini Savior Opt.; and duo Archer Spade (pianist Nick Millevoi and trombonist Dan Blacksberg) contribute an improvisation to end the concert.

The whole event is presented as a mix tape, each work performed in a continuous stream, with no commentary or applause between. Broadcast Live from Bates Mill Blending Shed, I shall be listening from the warmth of my own home!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09gxj10

Thank you Ferney.

I listened to the performance of "The Wheel of Time" which as you say was poignant in its scheduling. It is the accordion music of Oliveros which I like best but I also respect her for being an early pioneer in electronic music and a wide range of sonic explorations. She was recently discussed on 6 Music by Maconie and Radcliffe on their afternoon programme. That has to be a good thing. But it made me wonder if in the early 1980s when the piece was composed she was broadcast much here. Presumably, if so, it would have been exclusively R3?

That this was live from Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is also of interest to me because that is under the umbrella of Huddersfield University. I am always on the lookout for signs from universities which were not at one time universities that they are justifying their newer status. Huddersfield crops up again and again as innovative and exciting. For anyone considering higher education in that sector, I would always, purely from the impressions I have had, suggest Huddersfield, and Northumbria, University are among the places to be.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That this was live from Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is also of interest to me because that is under the umbrella of Huddersfield University. I am always on the lookout for signs from universities which were not at one time universities that they are justifying their newer status. Huddersfield crops up again and again as innovative and exciting. For anyone considering higher education in that sector, I would always, purely from the impressions I have had, suggest Huddersfield, and Northumbria, University are among the places to be.

Very true, but I should point out that, when the first Festival happened in 1978, it was still Huddersfield Polytechnic (and would remain so for the first umpteen Festivals). Richard Steinitz - who created the Festival - tells in his history Explosions in November of the shocked initial reactions of the Polytechnic Administrators - and the local dignitaries to his suggestion: only a bit of civic pride - and a suggestion that if they didn't do it first, Leeds might start their own Contemporary Music Festival - twisted thenecessary limbs! (And the first "star name", George Crumb, was persuaded to actually attend because he is a Bronte enthusiast, and stipulated a trip to Haworth (20 miles up the A629) be included as part of the deal.

[Lat-Literal]

Very true, but I should point out that, when the first Festival happened in 1978, it was still Huddersfield Polytechnic (and would remain so for the first umpteen Festivals). Richard Steinitz - who created the Festival - tells in his history Explosions in November of the shocked initial reactions of the Polytechnic Administrators - and the local dignitaries to his suggestion: only a bit of civic pride - and a suggestion that if they didn't do it first, Leeds might start their own Contemporary Music Festival - twisted thenecessary limbs! (And the first "star name", George Crumb, was persuaded to actually attend because he is a Bronte enthusiast, and stipulated a trip to Haworth (20 miles up the A629) be included as part of the deal.

A very interesting and entertaining post in all respects. I wonder whether that is it - the best ones have "roots". I suppose I could add that Bournemouth is pretty good on radio studies but from my understanding you need to be a radio student to get into the considerable 1970s archives there which is a bit of a sore spot with me. See also "original" university Kent!

[MrGongGong]

Very true, but I should point out that, when the first Festival happened in 1978, it was still Huddersfield Polytechnic (and would remain so for the first umpteen Festivals). Richard Steinitz - who created the Festival - tells in his history Explosions in November of the shocked initial reactions of the Polytechnic Administrators - and the local dignitaries to his suggestion: only a bit of civic pride - and a suggestion that if they didn't do it first, Leeds might start their own Contemporary Music Festival - twisted thenecessary limbs! (And the first "star name", George Crumb, was persuaded to actually attend because he is a Bronte enthusiast, and stipulated a trip to Haworth (20 miles up the A629) be included as part of the deal.

HCMF and it's relationship with the Poly/University is (IMV) a perfect example of what "we" do well in the UK.
Someone (in this case Richard Steinitz) has an inspired idea to make things happen so invites folks who he thinks could help him (George Crumb and later Cage et al) who make something wonderful.
It's a wonderful example of how things happen NOT through spurious "competition" but through collaboration, something we could do with a bit more of these days.
What is also so great is that Richard is still as enthusiastic as ever.

[teamsaint]

I was listening to a report a little while ago about a " new university", which IIRC was in trouble because of falling foul of some government nonsense. Anyway, asked by a BBC presenter what it was that the University did/ specialised in, the VC's answer came " turning peoples lives around". Which seemed pretty fantastic to me.
And as at another level, somebody I know completed a degree in something practical and film related at Solent Uni recently. After managing to get some part time work working on football broadcasts, ( sorry GG )he very recently landed a great job working in graphics at a company that sends packages of football highlights all over the world. About which he is pretty happy, I think .