James MacMillan

[vandermolen]

Tangentially ... oh, was that Christopher Lee playing Saruman, and I am only now connecting those dots?

Yes, indeed Karl.

[relm1]

Sorry about that guys. I'll see what I can do.

PS I tried to use the 'insert hyperlink' feature but it says that the file is too big.
The recording is about 7 minutes.

You might try we send it at https://www.wesendit.com/ where you can get a link to files up to 50 gigs and post that.  I think the URL only lasts for two weeks though.

[vandermolen]

You might try we send it at https://www.wesendit.com/ where you can get a link to files up to 50 gigs and post that.  I think the URL only lasts for two weeks though.

Thanks.

[foxandpeng]

Throwing in my hat from my posts in the WAYLT thread, to endorse James MacMillan as a fine composer 😁

Having now heard all the symphonies and string quartets over the last couple of days, I think he is pretty impressive across the board.  Just my two cents 🙂

[brewski]

Throwing in my hat from my posts in the WAYLT thread, to endorse James MacMillan as a fine composer 😁

Having now heard all the symphonies and string quartets over the last couple of days, I think he is pretty impressive across the board.  Just my two cents 🙂

Love your two cents. I think MacMillan is a marvelous composer, who seems to get not much air time in the United States, at least lately. An indelible memory: hearing the world premiere in 2004 of his organ concerto, A Scotch Bestiary, with Wayne Marshall and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

That said, I have not heard most of the symphonies and quartets, so your post is a good reminder to do so.

-Bruce

[foxandpeng]

Love your two cents. I think MacMillan is a marvelous composer, who seems to get not much air time in the United States, at least lately. An indelible memory: hearing the world premiere in 2004 of his organ concerto, A Scotch Bestiary, with Wayne Marshall and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

That said, I have not heard most of the symphonies and quartets, so your post is a good reminder to do so.

-Bruce

I wish I'd been there!

I find MacMillan really valuable and at times, challenging. His modernity pushes all my good buttons. Symphonies are great. String Quartets? Also excellent. Some works like Cummnock Fair sound like Tim Burton has inspired a trip to the carnival. Excellent but I wouldn't buy any candy floss while there, just in case. Great, but odd.

Cross-post from WAYLT...

James MacMillan
Symphony 5 'Le grand inconnu'
MacMillan
Britten Sinfonia


MacMillan's Symphony 5 has been harder to connect to, for me, purely because of the choral nature of the work. I don't always connect so quickly or so well with choral works. Subjective thing, and not a blanket principle. MacMillan is so good, however, that I'm persevering.

His exploration of the mystery of the Holy Spirit is the focus of the work. Three movements, with titles corresponding, respectively, to wind, water, and fire. Is he successful? No idea. Probably not. Is the music good? I guess so. Lots of singing.

[vandermolen]

I wish I'd been there!

I find MacMillan really valuable and at times, challenging. His modernity pushes all my good buttons. Symphonies are great. String Quartets? Also excellent. Some works like Cummnock Fair sound like Tim Burton has inspired a trip to the carnival. Excellent but I wouldn't buy any candy floss while there, just in case. Great, but odd.

Cross-post from WAYLT...

James MacMillan
Symphony 5 'Le grand inconnu'
MacMillan
Britten Sinfonia


MacMillan's Symphony 5 has been harder to connect to, for me, purely because of the choral nature of the work. I don't always connect so quickly or so well with choral works. Subjective thing, and not a blanket principle. MacMillan is so good, however, that I'm persevering.

His exploration of the mystery of the Holy Spirit is the focus of the work. Three movements, with titles corresponding, respectively, to wind, water, and fire. Is he successful? No idea. Probably not. Is the music good? I guess so. Lots of singing.

Do you know the 4th Symphony Danny? It was a revelation to me when the Head of Music, at the school where I teach, lent me the CD (there are two now) and insisted that I listen to it.

[foxandpeng]

Do you know the 4th Symphony Danny? It was a revelation to me when the Head of Music, at the school where I teach, lent me the CD (there are two now) and insisted that I listen to it.

I do  . I very much enjoy all of the first 4 symphonies. Your Head of Music is a wise individual. It's only #5 where I find some ambivalence; choral material rarely finds a place in my regular listening. There are exceptions, of course.

[Symphonic Addict]

I rank his Symphonies 4 and 5 very high, some of the most captivating and attractive symphonies of modern times; the others don't do much for me. Another work of his I find interesting is the Concerto for percussion and orchestra 'Veni, veni Emmanuel'.

[relm1]

This world premiere of MacMillan's Fiat Lux cantata for soloists, choir, organ and orchestra is next week and sounds interesting.  I might check it out. 

https://www.boosey.com/cr/music/James-MacMillan-Fiat-Lux/104088

[lunar22]

As a Scot, I'm  more or less obliged to pay some attention to by far my native land's best known living composer. I find MacMillan at his best in choral music which includes the 5th symphony. I've heard some orchestral stuff in concert (such as the entire Easter Triptych and Veni Veni Emmanuel) which I enjoyed at the time but find hard to listen to at home. Perhaps his Stabat Mater is the best work I know.

[relm1]

This world premiere of MacMillan's Fiat Lux cantata for soloists, choir, organ and orchestra is next week and sounds interesting.  I might check it out. 

https://www.boosey.com/cr/music/James-MacMillan-Fiat-Lux/104088

Pictures from the premiere of Fiat Lux.  "The 45-minute epic is a work of unfettered exultation and radical religiosity, as weird as it is wondrous."