Ferneyhough at 70

[french frank]

This week's Hear and Now (Saturday 8 June, 10pm) broadcasts the world première of Ferneyhough's Finis Terrae for 6 voices and ensemble and an excerpt from Sonatas for String Quartet. Plus works by Benedict Mason and Henri Dutilleux. Robert Worby interviews Ferneyhough.

Details, with a large picture of Tom Service.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

This week's Hear and Now (Saturday 8 June, 10pm) broadcasts the world première of Ferneyhough's Finis Terrae for 6 voices and ensemble and an excerpt from Sonatas for String Quartet. Plus works by Benedict Mason and Henri Dutilleux. Robert Worby interviews Ferneyhough.

Details, with a large picture of Tom Service.

Erm ... so, to celebrate Ferneyhough's birthday, we're being given two complete works by Ben Mason, and a premiere, an "excerpt" and a chat with Ferneyhough himself. At the risk of sounding a little ungrateful, (and I'm thrilled at the prospect of hearing FitzRoy) this isn't quite what I was expecting from the "Press Announcement" last week about a "Ferneyhough Special".

[Richard Barrett]

Erm ... so, to celebrate Ferneyhough's birthday, we're being given two complete works by Ben Mason, and a premiere, an "excerpt" and a chat with Ferneyhough himself. At the risk of sounding a little ungrateful, (and I'm thrilled at the prospect of hearing FitzRoy) this isn't quite what I was expecting from the "Press Announcement" last week about a "Ferneyhough Special".

You're forgetting the big picture of Tom Service who is obviously more important than either Ben Mason or Brian.

And instead of Sonatas they could have broadcast the performance of Firecycle Beta I saw in Berlin a few weeks ago, that would have been much more interesting.

[french frank]

this isn't quite what I was expecting from the "Press Announcement" last week about a "Ferneyhough Special".

It appears they played the entire Sonatas for String Quartet in 2011. Perhaps he didn't compose that much, then ....

[ahinton]

You're forgetting the big picture of Tom Service who is obviously more important than either Ben Mason or Brian.

Not only that, but consider the text that just manages to squeeze in under it, from which the following speaks for itself - "The programme ends with his haunting exploration of sound and space in a work inspired by a Van Gogh's "The Starry Night." As the artist wrote at the time of painting it: "I have a terrible need for religion. And so I go outside at night and paint the starts."" How many van Goghs were there and which is being referred to here? - and as for the end, "where the painting starts" surely suggests another composer altogether, does not it?...

Yes, you would think, wouldn't you, that, in Brian Ferneyhough's 70th birthday year, such a programme could have been devoted entirely to his work and, much as I admire the Dutilleux piece that's to be included in it, that could surely have been more appropriately scheduled elsewhere in a programme devoted entirely to him?

Ah, well...

[Nick Armstrong]

You're forgetting the big picture of Tom Service who is obviously more important than either Ben Mason or Brian.

I think that merits a as well as a

Probably a too...

[Richard Barrett]

I think that merits a as well as a

Probably a too...

Well, you just get used to it after a while...

[teamsaint]

ah well" talent" will out.
Has tom got a nice tie on?

Anyway,no doubt (AT ALL) that the board boffins (and one in particular) can help guide us newbies in the direction of some fine work by the great man.

[Thropplenoggin]

ah well" talent" will out.
Has tom got a nice tie on?

Anyway,no doubt (AT ALL) that the board boffins (and one in particular) can help guide us newbies in the direction of some fine work by the great man.

I think you'll find Ferneyhough is an acquired man's taste's acquired man's taste.



Does that even work?



Put it this way, it makes Schoenberg's Violin Concerto sound as easy to grasp as a nursery rhyme. (Just sayin'.)

[french frank]

Anyway,no doubt (AT ALL) that the board boffins (and one in particular) can help guide us newbies in the direction of some fine work by the great man.

And YouTube joins forces to make the Real Educator that Radio 3 used to be.

(Just received an unsolicited email saying that Radio 4 was inviting suggestions for subjects for parliamentary All Party Groups: he wrote in to suggest an APPG "to restore BBC Radio 3 to a radio station worth listening to again". Tally Ho!)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Anyway,no doubt (AT ALL) that the board boffins (and one in particular) can help guide us newbies in the direction of some fine work by the great man.

Try this miniature (a 80th birthday tribute to Tippett) for string quartet.

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

You might like to read the youTube notes;

or it may be helpful to think of Act Three of La Boheme (where Marcello and Musetta have a right barney whilst Mimi and Rudolfo split up sorrowfully);

or you might just love the way the Music presents a combination of abrasive, sotto voce stabbing sounds with a lyrically keening melody. The composer balances the two strands so that the listener can follow either as s/he listens and/or let go and enjoy the ride as they interweave and comment on each other.

[teamsaint]

And YouTube joins forces to make the Real Educator that Radio 3 used to be.

(Just received an unsolicited email saying that Radio 4 was inviting suggestions for subjects for parliamentary All Party Groups: he wrote in to suggest an APPG "to restore BBC Radio 3 to a radio station worth listening to again". Tally Ho!)

oh well, playing commitees on such things keeps them out of mischief I suppose.
Oh......
(not all unsolicited email is that upmarket, is it?)

[teamsaint]

I think you'll find Ferneyhough is an acquired man's taste's acquired man's taste.



Does that even work?



Put it this way, it makes Schoenberg's Violin Concerto sound as easy to grasp as a nursery rhyme. (Just sayin'.)

time, 'Noggo, time.
.
Anyway, Ferney has set the homework........

Edit: you might like to check your apostrophes in line 1...............

[Thropplenoggin]

time, 'Noggo, time.
.
Anyway, Ferney has set the homework........

Edit: you might like to check your apostrophes in line 1...............

Et tu, Brute?

[teamsaint]

Et tu, Brute?

I never bother, as you well know.

Grammar is for SATs tests......