The Ridgewood Concert Band (a community wind orchestra from Ridgewood, New Jersey USA) under the baton of Chris Wilhjelm closed its 30th Anniversary Season with their Grand Finale Concert on May 10th.  The concert featurured Nigel’s powerful wind orchestra work `Samurai’. Other composer featured in the concert were: John Barnes Chance (Variations On a Korean Folk Song), Rufus Reid (Joy in the Oasis), Frank Ticheli (Nitro) and Carl Heinrich Hubler (Concerto For Four Horns).

]]> http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?feed=rss2&p=5165 0 http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?p=5157 http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?p=5157#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 13:18:08 +0000 Nigel http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?p=5157 The Victoria & Albert Museum have just posted a short film `Music for the Cast Courts’ -  On the 14 September 2012, violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved brought two composers, Nigel Clarke and David Gorton, with a virtuoso horn-player, Carly Lake, to the Cast Courts at the Victoria & Albert Museum. They set music old and new, from North and South, in the dramatic context of this wonderful space and its unmatched collection.

Music by Nigel Clarke, David Gorton, Michael Alec Rose, Bach, Biber, Messiaen and Jolivet. Interviews with Peter Sheppard Skærved, Marjorie Trusted (Senior Curator of Sculpture at the V&A), Carly Lake, David Gorton and Nigel Clarke.

See: Music for the Cast Courts

Dedicated to the Memory of James Watson

INTRODUCTION TO DISC

My approach to composing has been strongly influenced by a long-term collaboration with the violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved. We met as fellow students at the Royal Academy of Music and had many conversations about what music might be, echoing Beethoven’s ‘note to self’ in his Tagebuch: “Every day share a meal with musicians, where one might discuss instruments and techniques and such….” (1812). We have taken our discussion of ‘techniques and such’ to many countries, and over time the theme of colour has emerged as dominant. This long-term exploration of colour has also been vital to my writing for virtuoso brass players. Indeed, I would say that I write for brass as if they were string instruments!

My first piece for brass band was written during a period as Composer in Residence to the Black Dyke Band (1994-1997) with the then Director of Music, James Watson. He asked me to compose music that would challenge his band in every conceivable way.

After my residency with Black Dyke Band, I had something of a sabbatical from brass band writing until I met the Belgian conductor and brass pedagogue, Luc Vertommen. He asked me to compose for Brass Band Buizingen (BBU) and ultimately I became their Associate Composer. All of the works on this disc, with the exception of my Euphonium concerto, The City in the Sea, have been written for BBU between 2009 and 2013. Each work has been developed by trying out sketches and experimenting with the players. I have profited greatly from Luc and BBU’s creative energy. The two concertos on this disc include my latest work written for the Belgian virtuoso Harmen Vanhoorne, with whom I worked extensively in the composition process, and the second dates back to my Black Dyke days, on this recording played by Glenn Van Looy. Two recordings on this CD are live performances, Swift Severn’s Flood performed at the 2009 World Music Contest in Kerkrade in the Netherlands and Earthrise performed at the 2010 European Brass Band Championships in Linz, Austria.

For each work I commissioned an original piece of poetry by the Brussels based poet Martin Westlake, with the exception of Swift Severn’s Flood, which has as its starting point William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1.

This disc brings together many different artistic disciplines – the high calibre musicianship of Luc Vertommen and BBU, the imaginative poetry of Martin Westlake dramatised by the voice of Frank Renton, and lastly the musical composition itself.

I would like to give a special mention to Luc Vertommen for his support, encouragement and enthusiasm in the making of this disc.

This double CD collection is dedicated to the memory of the late James Watson who was a great inspiration to me when first writing for brass band.

Nigel Clarke

Hear an extract from `When Worlds Collide’

]]> http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?feed=rss2&p=5078 0 http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?p=5046 http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?p=5046#comments Sat, 20 Apr 2013 04:47:34 +0000 Nigel http://www.nigel-clarke.co.uk/?p=5046

BBU performing Nigel's `When Worlds Collide' at the 2013 European Brass Band Championships, Oslo, Norway

Nigel’s latest brass band work `When Worlds Collide’ was performed at the 2013 European Brass Band Championships in Oslo, Norway by Brass Band Buizingen of which Nigel is Associate Composer. Conductor Luc Vertommen and the band came 4th overall in Oslo and came in front of some great bands including Black Dyke performing `When Worlds Collide’.

Iwan Fox for 4barsrest.com wrote 10/05/13) in their 2013 European Brass Band Championships Retrospective:

“Meanwhile, Buizingen also threw caution to the wind (from the word go in fact) with ‘When World’s Collide’, in a performance that put a huge smile of engaged curiosity on the faces of listeners in the hall and revealed without doubt that Nigel Clarke is one of the most inventive brass band composers of the age.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

More about `When Worlds Collide’ below:

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

(LITTLE GREEN MEN IN INTERGALACTIC SPACESHIPS WITH RAYGUNS AND PHASERS) 

A Space Symphony for Brass Band

I wrote When Worlds Collide with the aim of recreating the atmosphere and sentiment of the American cult “Sci-Fi” movies of the 1950’s, such as Robert Wise’s 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still and Invasion of the Body Snatchers directed by Don Siegel in 1956, as well as Rudolph Maté’s 1951 film When Worlds Collide. Though all in one movement, I wrote an imaginary script that underlines all of When Worlds Collide’s varying moods and atmospheres.

 1. Crop Circles, 2. Lights in the Sky, 3. Strange Happenings, 4. Sightings, 5. We Come In Peace – 6. Alien Abduction – 7. Analysis of the Earthlings, 8. Teleportation, 9. New Understandings, 10. Visions of Far Off Worlds, 11. Colonisation!

The British theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking talked about the possibilities of extra-terrestrial life in a documentary for the Discovery Channel. Hawking said that in his opinion there is little doubt that amongst the 100’s of billions of stars in the Cosmos there should be planets capable of sustaining life. “To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational…The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like”.

Hawking continued, “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach.” Hawking believes it could have devastating consequences to life on Earth if we made contact with intelligent visitors from outer of space “If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.”

I have written When Worlds Collide to sound uniquely different depending on the band that is performing it. This idea is not new – it is for me a truly fascinating characteristic of Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps  (The Rite of Spring). Stravinsky’s masterwork written a 100 years ago seems to force the orchestra to create its own individual and personal sound, which is exciting for both performer and audience alike. I have given the conductor and band much scope in When Worlds Collide to be creative and imaginative in their interpretation. My main aim is to avoid the performance becoming too “safe” and to provide a sense of fun and entertainment.

Hear an extract from `When Worlds Collide’ part of a new double disc collection of music for brass band by Nigel Clarke recorded by Luc Vertommen and Brass Band Buizingen.

Iwan Fox for 4barsrest.com wrote 10/05/13) in their 2013 European Brass Band Championships Retrospective:

“Meanwhile, Buizingen also threw caution to the wind (from the word go in fact) with ‘When World’s Collide’, in a performance that put a huge smile of engaged curiosity on the faces of listeners in the hall and revealed without doubt that Nigel Clarke is one of the most inventive brass band composers of the age.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Peter Sheppard Skaerved’s well used performance copy of `Pernambuco’ !!

The Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy

Nigel has been invited to be the first Composer-in-Residence to the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine (Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy) one of the great, great wind orchestras of the world!!

The first project will be to create a new concert work which will be premiered at the annual Marine Corps concert in November 2013 in Rotterdam. More information to follow shortly.

See the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine conducted by Major Harmen Cnossen give an impressive rendition of Ottorino Respighi’s symphonic poem`Feste Romane’ on Youtube below. The Dutch jazz trumpeter Eric Vloeimans joins the band for a stunning second half programme.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I wrote Tilbury Point as a short “whizz-bang” portrait overture for band. The idea came to me after visiting many of East London’s ancient riverside pubs along the River Thames. For many centuries these pubs have harboured smugglers, pirates and artists as well as London’s infamous Execution Dock. Tilbury Point refers to a site downriver where the pirate Captain Kidd’s body was displayed.  His sentence was carried out in 1701 at `Execution Dock’. He was hung, dipped in hot tar to preserve his body and left for three tides to cover his body before being put in a metal cage and taken to Tilbury Point and displayed as a warning to other pirates sailing towards London. This appalling ritual was commonplace during these times! Tilbury Point makes use of the old Ballad of Captain Kidd, which became popular soon after his death. The overture conveys the vibrant feel of the River Thames at Tilbury Point.

- Concert Programme -

Drei Georgische Fabeln – Robert Sheldon
Ruslan und Ljudmila – Mikhail I. Glinka
Gagarin – Nigel Clarke
Ukrainische Rhapsodie – Friedrich Deisenroth
Adagio aus Spartacus – Aram Chatschaturjan
Moskau Tscherjomuschki – Dmitri Schostakowitsch

Luc Vertommen & BBU record `Tilbury Point'

Over the last two weeks Brass Band Buizingen under the direction of Luc Vertommen have been recording two discs of my recent brass band music. Works to be featured in this collection are `Swift Severn’s Flood’, `Earthrise’, `The City in the Sea’ a Euphonium Concerto with Glenn Van Looy as soloist,  my new Cornet Concerto`Mysteries of the Horizon’ with Harmen Vanhoorne as soloist, a short portrait overture entitled `Tilbury Point’ and a new large scale work written last year for BBU entitled `When Worlds Collide’.  For each work on the disc I have commissioned an original piece of poetry by the Brussels based poet Martin Westlake, with the exception of `Swift Severn’s Flood’, which has as its starting point William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1. As well as the high calibre musicianship of Luc Vertommen and BBU, the poetry is dramatised by the voice of Frank Renton. I would like to give a special mention to Luc Vertommen for his support, encouragement and enthusiasm in recording all of these works. This double CD collection will be dedicated to the memory of the late James Watson who was a great inspiration to me when first writing for brass band.

Frank Renton interviews Luc Vertommen, Harmen Vanhoorne, Glenn Van Looy and Nigel Clarke on the new soon to be released Double CD of Nigel Clarke’s brass band music and Martin Westlake’s accompanying poetry with Brass Band Buizingen. (Below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

A short clip from the middle of Nigel Clarke’s  `When Worlds Collide’ taken from a recording session with Luc Vertommen and Brass Band Buizingen. (Below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

A second short clip from the middle section of Nigel Clarke’s  `When Worlds Collide’ taken from a recording session with Luc Vertommen and BBU. (Below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

A short clip of Luc Vertommen recording and rehearsing Nigel Clarke’s portrait overture `Tilbury Point’ with Brass Band Buizingen (05/03/13). (Below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

 Frank Renton reading `The City in the Sea’ by Brussels based poet Martin Westlake (Below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here is a short clip of Glenn Van Looy recording Nigel Clarke’s Euphonium Concerto `The City in the Sea’ with BBU under the direction of Luc Vertommen. (Below)

Click here to view the embedded video.

MTSU Wind Ensemble Percussionists after their performance of `Samurai'

Nigel conducting the MTSU in a performance of `Samurai'

Thank you to all the students and staff at Middle Tennessee State University for the superb concert that you gave on Friday night (08/02/13). I thoroughly enjoyed conducting `Samurai’ with your great, great Wind Ensemble a memory that will always keep with me. Thanks to all, especially Dr Reed Thomas who made the event and my trip possible!! More to follow shortly on this trip.

`Samurai’ performed by the Middle Tennessee State University Wind Ensemble!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hear is the audio recording of this performance:

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