This album is the first collection of UK composer Gwyn Pritchard’s main works, spanning nearly 40 years of his rich output. Featuring, amongst others, pianist Nicholas Hodges and cellist Beat Schneider, the compositions range from solos to ensemble pieces. The booklet contains an appraisal of his work by his daughter Dr. Alwynne Pritchard (composer, writer and broadcaster), who brings to life the musical pieces contained within the collection. Often concerned with duality and the deployment of extremes, Pritchard’s music is both direct and elusive and an acknowledgement of its composer’s skill in articulating this balance between the known and the unknown, between things experienced and those yet to be discovered. Motivated by energy created from the friction between the tiniest of musical particles, exemplified by the title piece. As the composer himself states: “behind the evidently ’composed’ audible surface of my music there are usually a considerable number of operations dependent upon both chance and necessity”. It is clear that there is much that we leave to chance or ignore at our peril. This release is definitely one not to be ignored.
Credits:
Beat Schneider (solo cello), Ensemble Phoenix Basel conducted by Jürg Henneberger, Carin Levine (flutes), David Alberman (violin), Aleksander Gabrys (double bass), Consuelo Giulianelli (harp), Nicolas Hodges (piano), Philippe Racine (flutes), Ernesto Molinari (clarinets),
Recorded Basel, London, St George’s Brandon Hill, Bristol, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
Recording Engineers/Editors: Kit Venables, Christoph Bösch, Paul Hodges – Post production and mastering: Thorolf Thuestad
TRACK LIST:
1. THE FRUIT OF CHANCE AND NECESSITY (for solo ‘cello and 13 instruments)
2. SONG FOR ICARUS (for flute/piccolo/alto flute and violin)
3. MUSIC FOR DOUBLE BASS AND HARP
4. RAUM GREIFT AUS (for solo piano)
5. JANUS (for flute/piccolo/alto flute and clarinet/bass & E flat clarinets)
Also available as downloads:
