Proms Saturday Matinee 3 ( 11.8.12): Britten Sinfonia

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Saturday 11 August
3.00pm – c. 4.30pm
Cadogan Hall

Michael Finnissy: Piano Concerto No. 2 (13 mins)
UK Premiere
Brian Ferneyhough: Prometheus (23 mins)
Sir Harrison Birtwistle: Gigue Machine (12 mins) - UK Premiere
Brian Elias: Electra Mourns (c17 mins) - World Premiere

Susan Bickley mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Daniel cor anglais
Nicolas Hodges piano
Britten Sinfonia

The Britten Sinfonia is joined by Susan Bickley, Nicolas Hodges Nicholas Daniels for a programme of contemporary British music by Finnissy, Ferneyhough, Birtwistle and Elias.

Michael Finnissy's Piano Concerto No. 2 begins in the lower depths and explodes into transcendentally demanding piano writing before the other players enter. Harrison Birtwistle's Gigue Machine for solo piano, which Nicolas Hodges unveiled in Stuttgart earlier this year, also receives its first UK outing and Brian Elias's meticulously crafted Sophoclean scena, set in the original ancient Greek, gets its world premiere. Its cor anglais soloist, closely identified with the Britten Sinfonia as oboist and conductor, is a recent recipient of The Queen's Medal for Music.

Clark Rundell conductor

[edashtav]

Elias's Electra Electrifies and Enthrals at its World Premiere

Brian Elias: Electra Mourns (c17 mins) - World Premiere

Susan Bickley mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Daniel cor anglais

Britten Sinfonia

The Britten Sinfonia is joined by Susan Bickley, Nicolas Hodges Nicholas Daniels for a programme of contemporary British music by Finnissy, Ferneyhough, Birtwistle and Elias.

Brian Elias's meticulously crafted Sophoclean scena, set in the original ancient Greek, gets its world premiere. Its cor anglais soloist, closely identified with the Britten Sinfonia as oboist and conductor, is a recent recipient of The Queen's Medal for Music.

Clark Rundell conductor

The dark intensity and lyrical eloquence of Elias’s settings built on firm foundations laid down in Elias’ earlier vocal works with orchestra; of these the 5 Songs by Irina Ratushinskaya premiered by the BBC SO twenty years ago left an indelible impression on me because of its elemental power, intensity and lyricism. If I say “every note was calculated” the work may seem dry and academic, but it was not, every note was a necessary part of the whole, a whole that built inexorably and majestically.

So it was this afernoon in the Cadogan Hall. Elias was favoured by having the incomparable Susan Bickley on the vocal line, aided and abetted by Nicholas Daniel playing the cor anglais with sublime intensity. But. I must mention the Britten Sinfonia ( string section). They were brilliant, producing a typically “British” string sonority that built on the examples of Elgar, Bliss, Vaughan Williams and Steve Martland . Searingly intense stuff. Yes, the piece was unashamed of its traditional roots but was written with such panache and style that it brought the house down.

I must mention Clark Rundell the marvellous conductor. He “believed” in the piece, was galvanised by it – I could see him singing every note of a fast cello phrase with his players. The band had a whale of a time. What a grim tale they had to tell but after it ended there was joy abundant across the platform. Brian Elias strode on the platform, a tiny bundle of happiness – within seconds his head disappeared between Susan’s breasts as she gave him the mother (and father) of all bear hugs. Nicholas Daniel beamed - knowing that he’d contributed hugely to an historic première.

This piece demands to be toured and put down on a CD. It’s accessible but profound. The craftsmanship is impeccable. Everyone on stage today deserved a Gold Medal – after all the words were in ancient Greek.

Oh dear, I’ve not mentioned the other three pieces. More later!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

within seconds his head disappeared between Susan’s breasts as she gave him the mother (and father) of all bear hugs

Ah! A booby trap!

Oh dear, I’ve not mentioned the other three pieces. More later!

Yes; this has been noted and your name has gone on the list!

[edashtav]

I shall mention your main man, ferneyhoughgeliebte. I loved his piece- but, surely, it was an apprentice work?

But... that must wait until tomorrow. The Elias has knocked out my stuffing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I shall mention your main man, ferneyhoughgeliebte. I loved his piece

Your mane has been removed from the list.

- but, surely, it was an apprentice work?

Yes; surprisingly so after the astonishing Sonatas for String Quartet that he wrote before it. But Prometheus has its moments, as revealed in this perky performance (the best I've heard of the work) - just not (yet) "real", fully-fledged Ferneyhough!

[edashtav]

Your mane has been removed from the list.


Yes; surprisingly so after the astonishing Sonatas for String Quartet that he wrote before it. But Prometheus has its moments, as revealed in this perky performance (the best I've heard of the work) - just not (yet) "real", fully-fledged Ferneyhough!

I must be frank with you over your favoured one, l'apprenti sorcier. After one or two bad trips with BF, I became discouraged and ignored his work. But... I'm pleased to report that this performance by talented wind players from the Britten Sinfonia showed me the error of my ways. It was, as you state, perky: bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. It didn't sound, it wasn't, an intractable,esoteric, highly-organised product of an intellectual with more brain cells than there are grains of sand in the Sahara. I was shocked rigid by the quality and quantity of lyrical invention. In one sense, it was "fully-fledged" because Ferneyhough's birds took flight and performed astonishing feats. The performers were marvellous. I had frozen, like Prometheus Bound, in dread when the urbane announcer, Chris Cook, told us to expect cadenzas from the likes of flute, piccolo and the highest Eb clarinet. How many more squeaks & squawks can I take in the pursuit of the avant-garde, I wondered? I was wrong : Ferneyhough's cadenzas had shape, direction and memorably extended melodic lines. If I single out Linda Lucas on flute/ piccolo and Stuart King on clarinets that's only because they led the line in a dream team. Now that I've got a handle on Ferneyhough, who knows, I may be challenging you FG for the hand of your beloved.

[edashtav]

This Concert started with the indefatigable Nicholas Hodges' magisterial account of Finnissy's 2nd Piano Concerto, unplayed in GB in the 36 years of its existence, years in which its composer has charted that traditional British route from enfant terrible to establishment man. Nicholas attacked the initial mammoth 6 minute cadenza like a man possessed. Perhaps that was appropriate for the music sounded tremendously agitated as if in a psychotic state. It was a shock when the string band entered because the prim pizzicato passage was from another world - almost that of BB in his Simple Symphony. Perhaps, the band including - what else in the 70s? - two alto flutes, used incidentally with stunning economy- was there to mop a fevered brow. It didn't succeed and the rocket that was Nicholas Hodge took off once again. And... that was that [full marks for brevity.]

Sorry, Mr Finnissy, this seemed like a period piece from an angry young man turning the norms of a concerto upside down - Much Ado About Nothing. Yes, a vehicle to test Mr Hodges to the limit, but essentially, a modish piece that accepted the avant-garde norms of the times just as easily as it rejected the great examples from the past. Incidentally, the orchestral parts seemed as relevant and as compelling as those in the Chopin concerti. A brave bit of programming - that allowed us to marvel at how well you've matured.

[heliocentric]

I would see the Finnissy piece in quite a different way. As far as the accompanying ensemble is concerned, the point of reference is not so much the piano concerto with orchestra (and certainly not the perfunctory orchestra of Chopin!) as the "concerto for solo piano" (like Finnissy's own 4th concerto), or, more relevantly given the instrumentation, Ives's Concord Sonata with its brief (and in this case optional) interventions by flute and viola - note the similarity of instrumentation! You could say the ensemble is principally there to cast the piano in a different light.

Secondly, I don't see how in any way Finnissy's music from the 1970s "accepted the avant-garde norms of the times" since as far as I'm aware nobody else was writing music remotely like this back then, and for me this was the period in his compositional output when his work was at its most creatively radical. From the first seconds it couldn't be mistaken for any other composer, and generates a quite unique energy and colour from the piano, unrestrained and at the same time precisely-imagined, constantly crossing the line between discrete and textural sound, accumulating massive momentum which could at any moment subside into delicacy or dark and distant resonances or silence. I've only heard it before in a fuzzy old recording and for me this was by far the standout piece in the concert and all the other pieces seemed straitlaced and indeed overly tradition-bound in comparison.

[JohnSkelton]

essentially, a modish piece that accepted the avant-garde norms of the times just as easily as it rejected the great examples from the past. Incidentally, the orchestral parts seemed as relevant and as compelling as those in the Chopin concerti. A brave bit of programming - that allowed us to marvel at how well you've matured.

I must be hopelessly old-fashioned or uncultured but (a) I thought it was by a million miles the most interesting, beautiful, and exciting music in the concert (b) one of the pleasures of Finnissy's recent 3rd string quartet for me was a certain return of Finnissy's ... immaturity. A renewal of the visionary, cussed streak of the earlier Finnissy which I so love.

I do find this odd - this need for classical music to reconfirm itself, everyone to get over being different, and the whole machine to keep on grinding.

English Country Tunes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXBR0JcFO48

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdO2oBU9nOA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHp9CG8Y-c0

(edit - what heliocentric in #8 just said)

[edashtav]

I first saw Sir Harrison when he attended a University performance of one of his earliest pieces- either the Monody or Refrains & Choruses. He's never been a man of his times- he exists in his own world beating to an odd clock (or two). At that time, he was a time-traveller from the '50s, there was a touch of the Teddy Boy about young Harry - he sported a boot-lace tie and their was a tad of drape about his jacket. His music was spare but it was evident that he understood woodwind instruments. These days, Sir Harry responds to applause as if he's arrived from the planet of Hibernating Hedgehogs - did I write that? ... are they applauding me ? ... what's all the fuss about?

So, it was appropriate that Sir Harrison's latest piano piece- the striking Gigue Machine should be introduced to the UK by that unassuming virtuoso, Nicholas Hodges. He has no idea of how gifted he is. His modesty knows no bounds - he's genuinely thrilled to have this new piece dedicated to him. The new piece extends the territory explored in Birtwistle's earlier clock pieces. The musics ( two main groups that co-exist in their own time & space) move around each other like heavenly bodies - one betraying Birtwistle's recent interest in the baroque. The argument is compelling, ten minutes fly by in a trice and the ending sounds, appropriately, like a clock striking the hours. An important addition to the modern piano repertoire, I sense.

[heliocentric]

one of the pleasures of Finnissy's recent 3rd string quartet for me was a certain return of Finnissy's ... immaturity. A renewal of the visionary, cussed streak of the earlier Finnissy which I so love.

Absolutely right.

[edashtav]

I would see the Finnissy piece in quite a different way. As far as the accompanying ensemble is concerned, the point of reference is not so much the piano concerto with orchestra (and certainly not the perfunctory orchestra of Chopin!) as the "concerto for solo piano" (like Finnissy's own 4th concerto), or, more relevantly given the instrumentation, Ives's Concord Sonata with its brief (and in this case optional) interventions by flute and viola - note the similarity of instrumentation! You could say the ensemble is principally there to cast the piano in a different light.

Secondly, I don't see how in any way Finnissy's music from the 1970s "accepted the avant-garde norms of the times" since as far as I'm aware nobody else was writing music remotely like this back then, and for me this was the period in his compositional output when his work was at its most creatively radical. From the first seconds it couldn't be mistaken for any other composer, and generates a quite unique energy and colour from the piano, unrestrained and at the same time precisely-imagined, constantly crossing the line between discrete and textural sound, accumulating massive momentum which could at any moment subside into delicacy or dark and distant resonances or silence. I've only heard it before in a fuzzy old recording and for me this was by far the standout piece in the concert and all the other pieces seemed straitlaced and indeed overly tradition-bound in comparison.

I agree that the band highlighted and projected the piano part, heliocentric.
Part of my problem was that I felt the piano writing was assured but the string music was that of an inexperienced composer.
I reject your notion that nobody else was writing music quite like it in the 70s - surely they were on the continent, but you're probably right in terms of British composers.

[edashtav]

I must be hopelessly old-fashioned or uncultured but (a) I thought it was by a million miles the most interesting, beautiful, and exciting music in the concert (b) one of the pleasures of Finnissy's recent 3rd string quartet for me was a certain return of Finnissy's ... immaturity. A renewal of the visionary, cussed streak of the earlier Finnissy which I so love.

I do hope you're right - I admire the English Country Tunes that I've heard and I must listen to his 3rd 4-tet.

[heliocentric]

the string music was that of an inexperienced composer. I reject your notion that nobody else was writing music quite like it in the 70s

Perhaps you have some examples then, because I certainly don't, and I think I'm reasonably well up on what composers around the world were doing at that time. Also I wonder why you come to the conclusion that the string writing in this piece showed an "inexperienced composer". If you didn't find yourself engaging with the music fair enough, but these two assertions seem to me completely without foundation.

[amateur51]

Thank you all for this fascinating , erudite and well-tempered thread. It has made me want to listen to the broadcast, listen to the youtube examples and generally get stuck in. Stars all round