Stewart concerto premiere in May 2014 in Liverpool

[njperry]

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will be ending their 2013-14 on Friday May 23, 2014 with a world premiere of Stewart's "Percussion Concerto" (and some other works by other composers) at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Info on the event at: http://www.liverpoolphil.com/11934/even ... house.html

Stewart discussed this work in recent radio interview available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Lm4IoA3d0 where Stewart said, "I am writing a concerto for percussion for an orchestra in England for their percussion section to make them shine. They get to walk to the front of the orchestra. Like 15 minute piece for a big ass orchestra and the three guys get to hammer it up in the front. When they're done with it, I might take it out myself and it will join my repertoire of cool stuff that I can play with an orchestra.”

The Orchestra’s webpage (as well as Stewart's music publisher, Schimrer at http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?Ta ... 24/07/2013 00:00:00 ) identifies the percussionists (the "three guys" who will hammer it up) as Neil Hitt, Graham Johns, Josephine Frieze, and Henry Baldwin, which is four.

[63falcon]

Always great to hear news about any new performances and compositions. I have sneaky suspicion I won't be able to get over there, but will be there in Nutter Spirit next Spring!

[conroy]

I've already bought a ticket. Although, if airfare prices next year are as redonkulously high as they were this year, it will most likely be an empty seat!

[sockii]

Sigh. It's on the Friday of my last remaining big convention that I work every year in Michigan.

Sigh. Another one bites the dust for me due to timing.

[njperry]

Info on the piece to be premiered from Stewart's agent at: http://www.opus3artists.com/utils/Downl ... 15orch.pdf

The title of the piece is "Poltroons in Paradise."

Implies that Stewart himself will be performing.

[quote]In the first concerto composed for himself as featured soloist, Stewart Copeland has written a work that features his acclaimed personal style of drumming behind his famous Tama drum kit and an array of exotic percussion. Members of the orchestra’s own percussion section are featured in complimentary parts along with Copeland, downstage of the orchestra. In “Poltroons In Paradise”, Stewart wishes to celebrate the unheralded purveyors of un-pitched cacophony, who may overwhelm even the largest orchestra at any time, and yet never do. By demonstrating that the distance between rock drummer and timpani virtuoso is not as far as one may think, this concerto is a thrill for audiences, percussionists, (and conductors) alike.

1st movement After a short energetic introduction employing the full orchestra focus will shift to the percussion sounds. This movement will be more about timbre than tune. Using compound meters rhythmic complexity can be achieved while keeping the pulse simple.

2nd Movement There will be more emphasis on orchestral interaction with the percussion. The textures introduced in the first movement will be colorized by soloists within the orchestral choirs, adding clear pitch to the implied tunes of the percussion figures. The atmosphere will be agile and whimsical.

3rd Movement The last movement will be about power and excitement with tutti orchestra and hammering percussion. The harmony will become more dense with each movement so that by the end the brass will be stabbing with fat chords while the strings swirl and the woodwinds wind. One would hope to have the percussionists sweating by the end.

Copeland is an artist who has composed for The Police, for international Opera and Ballet Companies, for noted film auteurs, (Francis Ford Coppola and Oliver Stone, among others) and who continues to create a growing and successful catalogue of orchestral and chamber works. Now Copeland has finally composed a work that will demonstrate his reputation as one of most inventive and recognizable drummers of all time as well as the un-tapped virtuosity of the symphonic percussion section.
[/quote]

[conroy]

It got a great review in today's local paper: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on ... ll-7168241

Oh and it has been cold and rainy in Liverpool the past couple days. I've developed a nagging cough, so I'm off to Boots to get some cough drops <cough>
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yjpwnemglppj ... radise.mp3

[njperry]

Thanks, Conroy!

Here is a less favorable review from the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/musi ... drama.html