Harrison Birtwistle (1934-2022)

[Luke]

Not sure, but NMC did reissue lots of Collins stuff about that time, so I imagine so. Not much help, I'm afraid!

[mjwal]

I have the same Collins CD pictured above - it was published in 1993. NMC reissued it later, as has been pointed out.

[Sid]

I've only heard his Earth Dances (on radio) & I liked it quite a bit. Very colourful piece.

[Henk]

I'm playing Birtwistle quite a lot these days. Great composer imo.

[lescamil]

Just got a bootleg of his Violin Concerto; premiere performance that happened last Friday (03/04/2011) .. queued up listening for this weekend.

>> Birtwistle Premiere
>> Birtwistle world premiere

And in the latest Grammophone rag, there is a new disc on NMC being issued soon of newer orchestral works.

I take it you got it from Dime a Dozen, yes? What did you think of it? I found it to be much more lyrical than the average Birtwistle piece.

[lescamil]

nope i never got it from "dime a dozen"?!?

If you haven't heard of it, then nevermind. It always seems that you and I get these bootlegs at the same time, though.

[klingsor]

If anyone is looking for the premiere of the Violin Concerto, I have it available here:

https://rapidshare.com/files/453841220/Birtwistle_-_Violin_Concerto__world_premiere__March_2011__-_Tetzlaff__BSO__Lehninger.flac

[lescamil]

I've heard the three works from that upcoming NMC disk, and The Cry of Anubis is an excellent work. It is the most effective tuba concerto I have heard, in that it showcases the tuba's capabilities best. There's even a rather intense duo at the end with the timpani that will get your hair standing on end. The Night's Black Bird and The Shadow of Night are pretty similar works to my ears, but The Cry of Anubis is definitely the highlight of the CD.

[snyprrr]

Birtwistle = Carter

[Luke]

Small plea - if anyone here has access to a recording of Birtwistle's early work Monody for Corpus Christi could they let me know? It's never been recorded AFAIK, but maybe there's a live recording or something out there. I've had the score to this piece for years and would love to hear it realised.   

[Mirror Image]

James, what would you recommend a Birtwistle newbie?

[not edward]

I'm not James, but Earth Dances has always seemed a great introduction to this composer to me. There are three recordings I know of; Dohnanyi and Eotvos are both good but I've heard many people say the Boulez recording on DG supercedes them.

[Mirror Image]

I'm not James, but Earth Dances has always seemed a great introduction to this composer to me. There are three recordings I know of; Dohnanyi and Eotvos are both good but I've heard many people say the Boulez recording on DG supercedes them.

Thanks Edward. Yes, I've seen Earth Dances mentioned a good bit.

[cilgwyn]

I bought the above cd recently. It is definately a good introduction to Birtwistle's music,not that I'm an expert. But the music is all very approachable. Nothing to be 'afraid of' there.

[UB]

I am lucky enough to have a bootleg VHS recording of the original performance of Gawain as well at this CD recording. I have to say that as wonderful as the CD is, it is only when the music and the action is experienced together can the full impact of the opera be felt. However the shortening of the 'season' section is to me a great improvement as I thought the original would never end.

BTW I was at a three day seminar in Salt Lake City in 1998 where Birtwistle discussed this opera and other of his music and got him to sign my booklet of Gawain.

[UB]

James did you record 'The Minotaur,' 'The Last Supper,' 'Io Passion,' and other more recent works by Birtwistle that were played on BBC over the last 4 or 5 years?

[Amfortas]

NIGHT'S BLACK BIRD.... great stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g3oGepuKug

[snyprrr]

Who's heard/heard about that 'Tree' String Quartet that the Arditti are currently touring? 'Tree of Life' or sopmething like that.

[snyprrr]

Ordered these 3 the other day .. I'll fill in more detail once I've received/listened to them ..

[asin]B000050KFO[/asin]
meditations on Paul Celan
soprano, string quartet, ensemble

[asin]B0006BAUK8[/asin]

[asin]B000027J0Q[/asin]
Melencolia 1
clarinet, harp, 2 string orchestras
Ritual Fragment
instrumental ensemble
Meridian
mezzo-soprano, horn, cello, chorus of 6 sopranos, instrumental ensemble

I got Pulse Shadows as an obligatory Arditti purchase.

whoops,... hit Post before I was done!


Really, I don't know what to say about this. An SQ mixed with a vocal piece? Certainly unique. I think I need to be in a special mood to sit through this,... not daily fodder for me. Mostly, I'll just program some of the SQ movements for a recital (since you're allowed to play this piece in any mash up you like). Still, it shows what the State of the Art is in Chamber Music. I probably respect it more than I like it.

[UB]

The string quartet sections of 'Pulse Shadows' make up the excellent '9 Movements' that the Arditti have played for years and according to their website will be released with 'Tree of Strings' sometime next year. I must say I am not a big fan of the vocal parts of 'Pulse Shadows' but then I am not a big fan of songs written for sopranos in general so I tend to set my player to just play the string quartet sections which work well for me.

Did anyone get to hear his recent 'Piano Trio' that got this review in the Telegraph?

"Who would have thought Harrison Birtwistle, the man who once brought a deafening Panic to the Last Night of the Proms and unleashed a roaring Minotaur onto the stage of the Royal Opera House, would one day compose something so harmless and domestic as a piano trio? Yet there it was, in the comforting red-plush surroundings of London's chamber music temple, sounding not at all out of place alongside Haydn and Beethoven."