Cardew, Hind, Cashian, Harvey, Matthews and Hoddinott

[Quarky]

Good to hear that again. I thought the chat was well done too.
I'm more for soprano/piano than oboe/percussion I must confess.
Any other thoughts?

Claire Booth is certainly my favourite soprano for contemporary music. I see Claire will be performing at Wigmore Hall in March with composers Birtwistle Goehr, PMD in tow. Whether that will be broadcast? I might break my fast and actually go to that concert.

An excellent programme, and Milton Babbitt an added bonus. I know we've already discussed this, but I was getting impatient with all the chat. At one point a musician compared the composition process to the science of physics - hang on, aren't we supposed to enjoy music? Physics is deadly serious.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

hang on, aren't we supposed to enjoy music? Physics is deadly serious.

So is Music.
Both are highly enjoyable.

[Rosie55]

I couldn't agree more re Claire Booth.
I liked the NMC Songs and the Hoddinott most.

[Rosie55]

Some appropriate further listening:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoddinott-Landscapes-Song-Cycles-Folksongs/dp/B0041XSB6C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1329094943&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hoddinott-Symphony-No-6-Watson/dp/B000025W7V/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1329094983&sr=1-2

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A very enjoyable programme - the Hoddinott cycle the highlight of the concert, but I also thought the Cardew and Skempton pieces fascinating. I do not quite share Oddy & Rosie's enthusiasm for Clair Booth: I didn't like her wide vibrato on louder notes, and the ends of some of the longer notes "drooped" in pitch. Barbara Beardsley in Babbitt's Philomel (the best work in the programme for me) was closer to my own "ideal", or, better still, Anu Komsi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyGkmNVNQxY

( ... showing, incidentally that the type of singing rather disparaged by Ms Booth in her talk is still beautiful singing given the right voice and intellect.*)

MANY thanks to Rosie, both for pointing out this event and for the Hoddinott links: a disgracefully marginalized composer whose work deserves much greater prominence in the R3 schedules.

EDIT: * = Mind you, I wouldn't want her costume to become a concert "norm"!

[Quarky]

"Mind you, I wouldn't want her costume to become a concert "norm"! "

Clearly well equipped for keeping unruly members of the audience under firm control!

[Rosie55]

Haha indeed!
Happy to point this out - I'd enjoyed the concert as I mentioned so thought I'd spread word.
The Hoddinott piece is a find and I thought Booth's pianist really got to the guts of it - indeed I was most impressed with him. A fine duo

[ahinton]

Claire Booth is certainly my favourite soprano for contemporary music

Should I assume from this that you've never heard Sarah Leonard, then?(!)

That said, Claire Booth is indeed wonderful.

[Rosie55]

I cannot warm to Sarah Leonard's voice. I have an excellent NMC CD of Joe Cutler (very good composer) and I heard a young Scottish soprano sing the songs at the Park Lane Group in a more affecting performance than I hear on this CD.
I'm afraid Booth is in a different league for me.
Just my opinion...I also admire Lore Lixenberg and Anna Dennis singing new music very very much

[Serial_Apologist]

The greatest female interpreter of avant-garde music for me will always be Dorothy Dorrow.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

All excellent performers who deserve respect and gratitude for their services to new Music.

And let's not forget Barbara Hannigan, here singing, acting and conducting. (The last four minutes of the twelve minute clip is audience applause!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZKaMuALMMY

[Roehre]

The greatest female interpreter of avant-garde music for me will always be Dorothy Dorrow.

That makes two of us

[Rosie55]

Thank you for Dorothy Dorrow info - I shall investigate!

[Quarky]

Anja Silja.

[MrGongGong]

Linda Hirst ?
wonderful and inspirational