Tectonics Glasgow, 2019 - NMS, Sat, 11/5/19; 10:00pm

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ilan Volkov's initiative: the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's annual celebration of New and Experimental Music, encouraging composers not often associated with orchestral Music to create new works for orchestral forces. And offering for me the most enticing work thus far presented in the New Music Show - the premiere of Christian Wolff's Old Shoe, New Shoe. Wolff is one of the keenest Musical intellects around, and I find his Music provocative, playful, and involving. I've never managed to get as enthused by Jennifer Walshe's Music, and am often bewildered by the praise it evokes in others, many of whom Musicians I admire and whose opinions I respect - which is why I keep listening to it, in the hope that the penny might drop. And I've heard very little of Andrew Hamilton's work, so cannot really comment on it. So - a work by a composer I greatly admire; a work by a composer I wish I admired more; and a work by a composer I don't really know: sounds an ideal programme for me.

And Programme commun, for harpsichord and tape from 1972 by Luc Ferrari (1929-2005) played by Mahan Esfahani - and a feature on a new work by Czech-born, New York-based composer Lucie Vitkova (b1985), a large-scale environmental installation work which the composer performed four times during the weekend of the festival. (And her PhD research was focussed on Christian Wolff's work, so a neat link with the orchestral concert.)

Andrew Hamilton (b1977): c (UK Premiere)
Jennifer Walshe(b1974): The Site Of An Investigation (UK Premiere) [with the Composer (vocals)]
Christian Wolff (b1934): Old Shoe, New Shoe (World Premiere) [with Joey Baron (jazz drums) & Robyn Schulkowsky (percussion)]

BBCSSO/Volkov (the Festival programme suggests a different running order - Wolff, Walshe, Hamilton - but that might have been altered on the night). All performed on Saturday, 4th May this year. Kate Molleson presents.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00051h2

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

http://www.tectonicsfestival.com/schedule/bbc-scottish-symphony-orchestra

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And a performance of the Ferrari piece by the dedicatee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEAchMhLQ_s

... and the composer's programme note:

http://lucferrari.com/en/analyses-reflexion/programme-commun-pour-clavecin-et-bande/

[Bryn]

Ilan Volkov's initiative: the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's annual celebration of New and Experimental Music, encouraging composers not often associated with orchestral Music to create new works for orchestral forces. And offering for me the most enticing work thus far presented in the New Music Show - the premiere of Christian Wolff's Old Shoe, New Shoe. Wolff is one of the keenest Musical intellects around, and I find his Music provocative, playful, and involving. I've never managed to get as enthused by Jennifer Walshe's Music, and am often bewildered by the praise it evokes in others, many of whom Musicians I admire and whose opinions I respect - which is why I keep listening to it, in the hope that the penny might drop. And I've heard very little of Andrew Hamilton's work, so cannot really comment on it. So - a work by a composer I greatly admire; a work by a composer I wish I admired more; and a work by a composer I don't really know: sounds an ideal programme for me.

And Programme commun, for harpsichord and tape from 1972 by Luc Ferrari (1929-2005) played by Mahan Esfahani - and a feature on a new work by Czech-born, New York-based composer Lucie Vitkova (b1985), a large-scale environmental installation work which the composer performed four times during the weekend of the festival. (And her PhD research was focussed on Christian Wolff's work, so a neat link with the orchestral concert.)

Andrew Hamilton (b1977): c (UK Premiere)
Jennifer Walshe(b1974): The Site Of An Investigation (UK Premiere) [with the Composer (vocals)]
Christian Wolff (b1934): Old Shoe, New Shoe (World Premiere) [with Joey Baron (jazz drums) & Robyn Schulkowsky (percussion)]

BBCSSO/Volkov (the Festival programme suggests a different running order - Wolff, Walshe, Hamilton - but that might have been altered on the night). All performed on Saturday, 4th May this year. Kate Molleson presents.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00051h2

Re. CW, have you got hold of Philip Thomas's new double album of more of Christian's piano music yet?

[Serial_Apologist]

Will this now be re-named the Archie Tectonics Festival?

[Bryn]

Will this now be re-named the Archie Tectonics Festival?

Enogh wth these Archy Harry's son jokes.

[Serial_Apologist]

Enogh wth these Archy Harry's son jokes.

Educating Archie will be deemed a private sector matter, I expect...

[Quarky]

Kate Molleson presents.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00051h2

My prayers have been answered by the powers that be in BBC - no Tom Service this week ! I found KM quite enjoyable last week.

Jennifer Walsh is not my cup of tea. While I have made some progress in the current vogue of Vocalese/ vocal gymnastics, regretfully I find myself repelled by Jennifer's approach.

[Quarky]

My prayers have been answered by the powers that be in BBC - no Tom Service this week ! I found KM quite enjoyable last week.

Jennifer Walsh is not my cup of tea. While I have made some progress in the current vogue of Vocalese/ vocal gymnastics, regretfully I find myself repelled by Jennifer's approach.

OK - "The Site Of An Investigation" gave me a better focus on Jennifer, so I can tone down my criticism, to just not of interest to me, although I can appreciate other folks might disagree. Musically, there wasn't much on offer, and I didn't feel inclined to follow her spoken thought processes.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Musically, there wasn't much on offer, and I didn't feel inclined to follow her spoken thought processes.

Yes - I couldn't hear why the Live orchestra was necessary, or the Musical fragments for that matter (how they related to the text - or even how, creatively they didn't relate). Admittedly, this is from a single hearing of a sound broadcast, but nothing in that single hearing created any urge to make the effort required to give it any further hearings. The text had a nice conclusion - but one that would have been as effective on The Now Show or Frankie Boyle's New World Order (I was reminded of some of the things that Sarah Pascoe says on the latter). A very feeble effort in comparison with the genuine creativity of Fleabag. But then, I have a similar response to Gruber's Frankenstein!, so it's just something that doesn't mesh with what I need from Art ... or from Life, for that matter.

Much, much happier with the Wolff - the way he creates the individual fragments in his recent works (rather insensitively described as "late works" on the programme) and assembles them in different ways; cabinets of curiosity and infinite attraction. I hope there are dozens more, and that the composer then moves on to other concerns for dozens of other works, so that "late" will be seen as very premature!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Re. CW, have you got hold of Philip Thomas's new double album of more of Christian's piano music yet?

Sorry, Bryn - I'd overlooked your post on Thursday - and, indeed, the new double album, which I'd not known about. An Order shall be placed!

[Bryn]

. . . the new double album, which I'd not known about. . . .

What? Not on Philip's mailing list? Get yourself subscribed forthwith. To date, the new pair of discs is only available direct from Sub Rosa. With so much waiting to be listened to, and so many upcoming events to attend/record/edit, I am holding back for it to be more generally available, and at a lower cost.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

What? Not on Philip's mailing list? Get yourself subscribed forthwith.

I didn't even know there was such a mailing list! (I'm concerned now that there are dozens of other, similar MLs that I'm higgerant of. How do I find out?! )

To date, the new pair of discs is only available direct from Sub Rosa. With so much waiting to be listened to, and so many upcoming events to attend/record/edit, I am holding back for it to be more generally available, and at a lower cost.

Yes - it would have to wait until payday next month anyway; it's a busy (and expensive) month for me, too.

[kindofblue]

I didn't even know there was such a mailing list! (I'm concerned now that there are dozens of other, similar MLs that I'm higgerant of. How do I find out?! )


Yes - it would have to wait until payday next month anyway; it's a busy (and expensive) month for me, too.

A word of [mild] warning about ordering from Sub Rosa. It struggles to take one's details down accurately, and the order doesn't go through. I am grateful therefore to the fine folk at Sub Rosa in Belgium for sending me an email saying that they had noticed I had been experiencing some difficulties, which are clearly not unknown to them. It was possible via Paypal with some Sub Rosa guidance, and the CDs are on their way. Helpful people. I have the first Wolff/Philip Thomas CD and it is excellent.