Proms on Four: 20th Century Classics - New Music at the Proms

Unlike other Proms shown on BBC4 this wasn't actually one proms; it focuses on new music which was played at different Proms but didn't get shown in the broadcast at the time.


Frieze - Mark-Anthony Turnage

This piece was actually performed by the NYO in the same concert as their performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony; the linked being that Frieze takes its name from the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt, which was itself inspired by Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

It reminded me lot of the Rite of Spring in its use of rhythm and harmony; the large percussion section is used throughout but it is given particular prominence at the beginning. At first I thought the piece was structured like a fantasia, a series of short musically ideas linked together, but in fact there is one main theme which returns a few times.

This main theme features a throbbing two stroke percussion passage, like a heart beat, and whirling strings and woodwind on top of a defiant brass melody. One time this theme returns with the brass melody played almost like a round, the second part only a few beats behind the first.

What I did like about the piece is how Turnage uses the registers of the different instruments to colour the music. He uses the higher instruments (violins, flutes and clarinets) to play shrill, rapid scalic passages requiring a lot of dexterity. He then immediately contrasts this with a legato flowing passage in the middle register featuring the violas, cor anglais and horns.


Turning Point - Colin Matthews

This work, about 20 minutes long, has 2 contrasting sections to it, such that the middle creates a turning point in the direction of the music (hence the title of the piece). As a whole, there is a very rich, full texture to the music with a lot going on, but it feels too busy at times and difficult to listen to and follow; your ear doesn't know which element of the music to focus in on.

There is a large percussion section which is required to play a remarkable array of instruments; at one point it appears that three of the players are striking scrap metal whilst the strings play long, sustained chords. There are also moment where the oboes and clarinets played with their bells in the air. Its hard to know if this was the performers choice or whether the composer instructed it, but it composers like Mahler have indicated this in the past.

Proms on Four

I was away quite a lot over the summer, so ended up Sky+ing all the Proms broadcasts on BBC4 to catch up with at a later date. As I find the time I'll be writing about them.

The AB Guide to Music Theory (Revision)

In preparation for starting on the first project I read through chapters 14-18 of the AB Guide to Music Theory Part II which came as part of the course materials. Whilst the majority of it was not new to me, I found it a useful reminder none the less, as there was quite a lot of terminology I had forgotten (or remembered the term but couldn't precisely remember its definition).

I did find it interesting in the section about part writing where they mentioned how there are parallel intervals which should be avoided, such as unisons, 5ths, octaves (and compounds of these intervals). I remember when doing harmony at school how strongly these rules were enforced as something Bach would never do. In the book Eric Taylor does admit that Bach broke these rules occasionally; in fact there are entire websites dedicated to this subject, some examples people find are more convoluted that others. One example I do like is http://bachdidwhat.tumblr.com/

Welcome

This is the blog I've set-up which will act as my learning log for the OCA Music 2: Moving On with Composition course I recently enrolled on.

My learning log for my Music 1: Composing Music course can be found at:

http://oca-composingmusic-ajc.blogspot.co.uk