The rehearsals for Georg Friedrich Haas’ in vain are going well, the London première of the work for 24 instruments will take place today at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and will be preceded by a conversation with the composer.

Emilio Pomàrico conducts the London Sinfonietta.

Georg Friedrich Haas: in vain
for 24 instruments | 70'
2 1 2 1 - 2 0 2 0 - perc(2), hp, acc, pno, sax, vln(3), vla(2), vc(2), cb
06.12.2013, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London; London Sinfonietta, cond. Emilio Pomàrico

Philip Cashian, composer and Head of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music, writes about Georg Friedrich Haas’ in vain on the London Sinfonietta’s blog. André de Ridder and the London Sinfonietta will perform the UK première of in vain on 16 November at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.

“it often seemed that supernatural forces were at work […] it was often hard to believe that these otherworldly sounds were coming from acoustic, not electronic, instruments […] a masterpiece.” (The New York Times)

Now available!

Luke Bedford’s new portrait CD has just been released by col legno.

The CD, supported by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, contains an excellent cross-section of the composer’s output to date.

Order now at col legno

Listen to excerpts here

Listen on SoundCloud

Tracklisting

1. Wonderful Two-Headed Nightingale (2011)
for violine solo, viola solo and 15 players
Jonathan Morton (violine), Lawrence Power (viola)
The Scottish Ensemble

2. into Johannesburg:
By the Screen in the Sun at the Hill on the Gold (2008)
für 18 players
Ensemble Modern, conductor: Sian Edwards

3. Chiaroscuro (2002/2005)
for violin, violoncello and piano
Fidelio Trio: Darragh Morgan (violin), Robin Michael (violoncello) and Mary Dullea (piano)

4. Man Shoots Strangers from Skyscraper (2002)
for eight players
Ensemble Modern, conductor: Franck Ollu

5. Or Voit Tout en Aventure (2005–2006)
for soprano and 16 players
Claire Booth (soprano), London Sinfonietta, conductor: Oliver Knussen

Order now at col legno

The London Sinfonietta presents a portrait of Harrison Birtwistle at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London tonight. David Atherton conducts.

On the programme are Cortege, Carmen Arcadiae Mechanicae Perpetuum, 5 Distances for 5 Instruments and the the UK première of In Broken Images.

In the first half of the concert, Tom Service talks to Harrison Birtwistle about his music.

Watch Birtwistle in conversation with the Southbank Centre’s Gillian Moore.

Watch on YouTube.

Luke Bedford is in Vienna for a performance of his Man Shoots Strangers from Skyscraper. Franck Ollu conducts the London Sinfonietta.

The concert, which is part of the Wien Modern festival, is the ensemble’s first in Vienna for 15 years.

Also on the programme is Harrison Birtwistle’s Silbury Air, as well as works by George Benjamin, Simon Holt and Thomas Adès.

Peter Eötvös conducts the London Sinfonietta at the Aldeburgh Festival tomorrow.

On the programme is Pierre Boulez’ … explosante-fixe …, alongside works by Marco Stroppa and Peter Eötvös himself.