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Classical Editor: Rob Barnett Music Webmaster Len Mullenger: Len@musicweb-international.com
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January 2001 Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird - ROBERT SIMPSON et al - Proposed CD of music for recorder and string quartet with the Camerata Ensemble (Richard Howarth, Julia Hanson, Tom Dunn, Jonathan Price) In December last I was privileged to give the first performance for over 40 years of ROBERT SIMPSON’s ‘Variations and Fugue’, which he composed at the instance of Carl Dolmetsch in memory of his close BBC colleague Horace Dann. Robert Simpson himself believed that the work was lost, but happily the parts surfaced last year in the Dolmetsch archive, and I was delighted to be able to reconstruct the full score from these and to bring again before the public a wonderful piece that is certainly one of the greatest modern works for the recorder. As you may be aware, the "English Recorder Music" CD, with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, that was published last year by Olympia, has done very well indeed. As well as being one of Olympia’s best-selling discs, it has now been selected for record club distribution in the States, as a showcase disc. Olympia tell me that they are more than happy to follow this with a disc including the Simpson, but of course their usual practice is to take the disc on from master stage. The costs of the recording and editing, together with musicians’ fees (string quartet only) are estimated at £3500, which would have to be found before the project could be finished. We hope to be in a position to record in April 2001, with release by Olympia in the Autumn. The cover illustration will be a drawing of a blackbird by Tom Pitfield. I envisage that the programme for the CD will be as follows:
Variations and Fugue (ROBERT SIMPSON) It is particularly exciting to be able to record for the first time the LEONARD BERNSTEIN Variations, which were composed for Humphrey Burton’s daughter Helena, and which I premiered in the Isle of Man a year or two ago. In addition there will be two works by well-known British composers, RICHARD ARNELL’s intriguing Quintet: The Gambian (also originally composed for Carl Dolmetsch), which is based on a tune originally entered for a competition for a new national anthem for the Gambia, and Seiber’s exquisite Pastorale (both these works remain almost totally unknown). The disc will be rounded off by 3 works of outstanding quality by composers from the North-West of England - DAVID FORSHAW’s Thirteen Ways of looking at a Blackbird, BETH WISEMAN’s Dances on my Grave, and PHILIP WOOD’s Concertino. Although I shall be applying to the usual trusts, my experience here has no proved very positive, and so I am hoping that a subscription scheme (£10 per disc) will raise the necessary funding so that the CD can proceed. Olympia have agreed that all subscribers will have their names printed in the CD booklet, with other appropriate credits, and you will be sent a copy of the CD on publication. I do very much hope that I can persuade you to add your name to this venture, and if so please return the attached slip to me if possible by the end of February 2001. In the very unlikely event that insufficient money is raised, I confirm that I will return all subscriptions - but I sincerely hope that does not occur. Please give me or Margaret a ring if you have any queries. With kind regards and best wishes for 2001, Yours sincerely, John B. Turner. _______________________________________________________ Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird - proposed CD of music for recorder and string quartet I enclose my cheque made payable to "John B. Turner RS Account" for the sum of £...... (minimum subscription £10 sterling) If your cheque is to cover more than one copy of the CD please indicate total number of CDs required here ................................ Name (as you wish it to appear in the list of subscribers)......................... Address ................................................................................................................ .................................................................................................................
Telephone (in case of query) ................................................................... Send To:
John Turner Please note that John is not on e-mail and that neither Len Mullenger nor Rob Barnett can handle orders or enquiries myself
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