Hear and Now - Aldeburgh and Cheltenham Festival 2011 - 16th July 2011

[Guest]

Elliott Carter: Conversations (world premiere)
Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)
Colin Currie (percussion)
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
Oliver Knussen (conductor)

Charlotte Bray: Caught in Treetops
Alexandra Wood (violin)
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
Oliver Knussen (conductor)

Charlotte Bray: Replay (world premiere)
Cheltenham Festival Academy Soloists

Robert Saxton: A Yardstick to the Stars
Cheltenham Festival Academy Soloists

Ligeti: Etudes
Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)

Nancarrow: Studies
Jurgen Hocker (player-piano).

[hackneyvi]

Elliott Carter: Conversations (world premiere) - 6' 30" - Almost a lollipop by EC's standards; even I could immediately grasp the general motions of it.

Charlotte Bray: Caught in Treetops - 17" - The opening solo violin part-inspired, she says, by Sonny Rowlins' long solo introduction to Autumn Nocturne. The music itself by Rosetti and Lorca. My memories of it 15 minutes later are of a couple of interesting sounds - a drum of some kind which gave me the impression of intrusive imminence, something perturbing; and some string swoops. Otherwise, a chatter of instruments and a general sense of drones around a note. Not an effort to listen to, at all, but it simply slipped through my fingers; couldn't grasp it.

Charlotte Bray: Replay - 10" - Piano quartet - easier on my ear and again the sounds were enjoyable. Definitely sectional and still, to me, surprising to be able to count time for much of it. The faster 4/4 portion in the second half has lots of energy (but I'm not sure what melody or harmony is intended); the way that loud music gives way to the soft piano is rather lovely. A piece to be replayed, I think.

[Quarky]

Charlotte Bray - a new one on me, but well worth listening to.

The fate of most new composers is to be damned with faint praise, but I feel she really has something interesting to say.

[3rd Viennese School]

I actually listened to some of this programme whilst there was a music session on in the pub! There's commitment for you. I heard the Charlotte Bray- was it strings with a piano? Cant remember much now- and the I player doesnt work at eork!

Shame they dont repeat these programmes in the evening during the week!
3VS

[Serial_Apologist]

Missed this one, dammit! Robert Saxton's one of my favourite living composers; and the Ligeti pieces are fantastic. Likewise hadn't heard (of) Ms Bray.

S-A

[hackneyvi]

Charlotte Bray - a new one on me, but well worth listening to.

The fate of most new composers is to be damned with faint praise, but I feel she really has something interesting to say.

Missed this one, dammit! Robert Saxton's one of my favourite living composers; and the Ligeti pieces are fantastic. Likewise hadn't heard (of) Ms Bray.

S-A

I'll listen to the piano quartet again because something of it has stayed with me - the opening quiet 'writhing' of the three string players, the 3rd section with its vigour and the piano finally walking out of the silenced string music.

For her part, Charlotte Bray said that the Treetops 'violin concerto' was the important piece; did she say, "Breakthrough"?. It had a feminity, I think, that reminded me of Judith Weir without the tunes. Just didn't get it - none of the components of the piece - I picture it as a long, flat musical cloud. A shape with much detail but whose detail neither outlined nor elaborated the shape. Parts and whole; couldn't put 'em together.

Only got half way through on Sunday. Now for the rest.

[hackneyvi]

Missed this one, dammit! Robert Saxton's one of my favourite living composers; and the Ligeti pieces are fantastic. Likewise hadn't heard (of) Ms Bray.

S-A

Robert Saxton: A Yardstick to the Stars - 23' - I'm listening now, SA, and am a bit amazed by it. Open your iPlayer!

The Saxton begins about 47" or so. A lovely portion for piano and cello at about 52' into the programme - the wonderful rhythmatism of the piano with the cello's swirls around it. Saxton describes it - emphatically - as "very, very difficult" but it's so gripping thus far that I can't agree. Earthy and continuously beating, at 55" it reminds me powerfully of the close of Tippett's Triple Concerto. 10 minutes later, after the slow movement, it still aches, throbs and bites.

Wonderful! A little enthusiasm goes a long way with me. I think I'd have dodged this without your remark.

Here's an excellent intro to the piece (with a few typos): http://www.chesternovello.com/defaul...kId_3041=11702

Lastly, a budget surprise: http://www.asda-entertainment.co.uk/...s/8242827.html I never clocked any Saxton at the branch on Sutton High Street.

I found Tom Service a bit breathless, even hasty with his intros this week; a bit too much about him of the thwarted, hungry bee.

[Serial_Apologist]

Service without a smile, eh Phil?

Thanks for the prompt: will listen tomorrow.

[hackneyvi]

Thanks for the prompt: will listen tomorrow.

I'll be interested to know if this is 'characteristic' Saxton, John. He talks in the introductory remarks about this piece being 'about song and dance'. After a single listen, the song (in any familiar sense) is indistinct to me but it seems to be sopping, almost heavy, with lift.

[hackneyvi]

Charlotte Bray: Caught in Treetops ... Not an effort to listen to, at all, but it simply slipped through my fingers; couldn't grasp it.

Charlotte Bray: Replay - ... A piece to be replayed, I think.

Charlotte Bray - a new one on me, but well worth listening to ... I feel she really has something interesting to say.

I've listened to both of these again and Caught in Treetops, just now, grabbed me with its clarity. Didn't get it at all the first time, Oddball, and haven't heard the heart of it yet but was very enchanted by it at a second listen.

Near enough every written note's audible and purposeful; the music feels continuous, a thread which when it switches instruments does it without any lurch, feels to have an existence besides the one given by the playing. A lovely orchestration and graceful performance; often beautiful sounding and shares her piano quartet's ultimate achievement of peace. Had a distinct femininity, I felt, a collective and not competitive spirit.

[MrGongGong]

Nice to hear that Charlottes pieces are getting a positive response
i'll email her a link to this thread

[hackneyvi]

Nice to hear that Charlottes pieces are getting a positive response
i'll email her a link to this thread

Oh!, Mr G - as usual, Oddball got the music immediately but I've taken days to accustom myself to new pieces. I wonder if my earlier comments (or even the happier babble of the later one), are they necessarily what she might expect or want to see?

[MrGongGong]

I think she will be delighted to hear that someone is paying so much attention

[Quarky]

Oh!, Mr G - as usual, Oddball got the music immediately

Let's say I get the music immediately, but at a level I feel comfortable with, no doubt as a result of listening to Contemporary music for many years.

From your posts, you are giving music a very deep level of analysis, and so it does not surprise me it may take a time to embed in your psyche if, as I understand it, you are a relative newcomer to this type of music.

[hackneyvi]

Probably best to stick to noms de plume on these boards, nar mean?

S-A

I understand you, SA.