The Barber Institute of Fine Arts 2002
Birmingham

Programme:

Ronald Stevenson - 'Peter Grimes' Fantasy

This work was commissioned in 1971 by the BBC and features themes from Britten's opera, 'Peter Grimes'. Its form is that of a fantasy-fugue, with an introduction and a cadenza and epilogue to complete the work. The theme of the piece is essentially the same as that of the opera: the conflict between the townspeople and Grimes himself. The rise of the 'mob' is represented by a malicious muttering theme which begins in the bass at the start of the work and then gradually rises as the piece progresses, and the fall of Grimes is portrayed through phrases of pathos which begin in the treble and then gradually fall through the rest of the composition. The storm music from the opera also appears in a dramatic middle passage which involves a confrontation of the two themes. Peace descends only at the end, as Grimes begins his eternal rest.

Janet Owen Thomas - Preludes - Set One

These four short preludes were begun in 1999 and premiered in 2000. As their descriptive titles suggest, they take their inspiration from extra-musical subjects, as is often the case with the compositions of Janet Owen Thomas. Their structures are designed through strict intellectual processes, producing complex interweaving patterns, which twist and turn frantically, or cascade gracefully, within a carefully constructed format. Despite their disciplined forms and strong rhythmic sense, all four preludes have a mystical dream-like quality, their dramatic surges and haunting harmonies evoking powerful atmospheres.

Rory Boyle - Reeling

Reeling was commissioned by the young pianist James Willshire and was written in 2001. Rory Boyle has said that the word 'reeling' has many different definitions and that he chose it as a title because four of them are examined in the piece. 'Reeling' relates to the form of a disorganised Scottish reel, and also to 'staggering uncertainly' , 'a sustained noise', and 'feeling dizzy' . These combine to produce a work that Boyle describes as having a 'schizophrenic nature'.

Piers Hellawell - Airs, Waters and Floating Islands

Hellawell is a composer with a passion for the natural world and it is here that this work appears to have found its inspiration. Commissioned by Susan Tomes and first performed in Cambridge in 1996, it is a work of vast expressive range and extreme contrasts of movement, energy and atmosphere. While snappy, syncopated rhythmic patterns dance wildly across the whole range of the keyboard at the beginning and end of the work, the piece also contains moments of supreme serenity and calm - chorale-like with their unhurried homophonic movement. Gentle blues harmonies or static, directionless lines moving in synchronisation provide an unearthly sense of peace, while agitated, contrapuntal episodes give a feeling of barely-contained energy. A piece which cannot settle in any one mood for too long, Airs, Waters and Floating Islands provides an exhilarating musical journey, exploring the various characteristics of the three elements of its title.

Harrison Birtwistle - Ostinato with Melody

Ostinato with Melody was one of several works commissioned for a concert in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on March 26th 2000 to mark the 75th birthday of Pierre Boulez. The work comprises two parts: the ostinato bass, with its clear rhythmic patterns and constant gentle, yet driving pulse, and the lyrical, legato line which sings and sighs freely over the top. Carefully calculated rhythmic devision of each beat in the accompaniment combine with the winding, rhythmically ambiguous melody to produce a feeling of the continuity and control of time passing, alongside a contemplative and confused consciousness.

Stephen Hough - Etude de Concert

The international virtuoso Stephen Hough considers it important to continue the tradition of past eras where soloists were also composers, leaving behind them a legacy for the next generation of pianists. Hough is a pianist of phenomenal technical ability and expressive phrasing, so it comes as no surprise that he has chosen to compose a concert study, with complicated finger work, which builds up to a whirlwind tarantella flourish. The form is ABA, with the winding phrases of the A section slowed down in the B section to form a sumptuous romantic indulgence, before racing away once more.