KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ A Concert of Experimental Music from England, 1 of 2
Analog Audio
Event Type
MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
AM.1974.03.21.c1.AProgram Length
102 minsPart
1 of 2Dates
| broadcast| 1974-03-21 | created
Description
On March 21, 1974 the San Francisco Conservatory New Music Ensemble under the direction of John Adams performed a concert of avant-garde and experimental music, by mostly young English composers. Works heard include an arrangement of an early 20th century waltz, a song based on a Chinese melody by Cornelius Cardew, and a rondo by Christopher Hobbs. Also heard are two pieces by Gavin Bryars, one inspired by the story of the Titanic, and another by a film of a London tramp singing an old hymn. Both of Bryars’ pieces, which he introduced himself, were accompanied by visual projections of pictures or films and have a beautiful yet haunting quality to them. Much of this work is based on reworkings of Victorian waltz melodies and sentimental salon pieces. Most of the pieces are consonant, some even very emotional.Genres
20th century classicalAvant-garde
Musical Selections
The Eden Valley Waltz (ca. 1900) (8:05) / Crawshaw Crabtree [arr. by James Ronald Lampard] -- Autumn Countdown Machine (4:50) / John White -- Wild Lilies Bloom Red As Flame (8:52) / [a Shensi folksong, arr. by Cornelius Cardew] -- The Sinking of the Titanic (1969-74) (29:15) / Gavin BryarsPerformers
San Francisco Conservatory New Music EnsembleJohn Adams, director
Colleen Létourneau, soprano (Wild Lilies)
Subjects
20th century classicalAvant-garde (Music)
Waltzes
Instrumental ensembles
Songs with instrumental ensemble
Folk songs, Chinese
Monologues with music (Instrumental ensemble)
Aleatory music
Related place
San Francisco (Calif.) (was recorded at)Related Entities
San Francisco Conservatory New Music EnsembleCrabtree, Crawshaw
Lampard, James Ronald
White, John, 1936-
Cardew, Cornelius
Létourneau, Colleen
Bryars, Gavin
Adams, John, 1947-