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Tanglewood's Festival of Contemporary Music Features Works of Bernard Rands, Luke Bedford, Oliver Knussen & George Benjamin

Jun. 27, 2012

Tanglewood's Festival of Contemporary Music Features Works of Bernard Rands, Luke Bedford, Oliver Knussen & George Benjamin

The Boston Symphony Orchestra has settled in once again at its summer home in the Berkshires and begun its 75th Anniversary Season at the Tanglewood Music Festival. This year, in addition to replicating some of the orchestra’s most inspired programs from its distinguished Tanglewood festival history, the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Fellows present an exhilarating line-up of new works at the annual Festival of Contemporary Music taking place from August 9 through August 13.

Directed by Oliver Knussen, the 2012 Festival of Contemporary Music features music by Luke Bedford, George Benjamin, Bernard Rands, and Knussen himself. On August 9, Knussen conducts Luke Bedford’s Or Voit Tout En Aventure, a striking setting of medieval texts for soprano and chamber ensemble. On August 10, Grammy Award-winning pianist Gloria Cheng performs a solo recital featuring Knussen's Ophelia’s Last Dance, George Benjamin’s Shadowlines, and selections from Bernard Rands’ epic Preludes. Among other highlights this year is a concert performance of Oliver Knussen’s colorful one-act opera, Higglety Pigglety Pop! Commissioned by the BBC for Glyndebourne, the opera’s story and libretto were written by the late Maurice Sendak. This new concert performance, conducted by Stefan Asbury on August 12, will feature live film and animation by video artist Netia Jones. At the closing performance on August 13, Knussen conducts two exciting works for orchestra: Bedford’s brief and gleaming Outblaze the Sky and Benjamin’s piano concerto Duet featuring pianist Peter Serkin.

Additional works by Schott/EAM composers at this summer's Tanglewood Festival include Thomas Adès’ The Four Quarters by the Emerson Quartet, Olivier Messiaen’s Oiseaux Exotiques conducted by Charles Dutoit, and Sir Michael Tippett’s Praeludium for Brass, Bells and Percussion conducted by Stefan Asbury. All mentioned performances will take place at Ozawa Hall.

More on the music of Oliver Knussen, George Benjamin, and Thomas Adès can be found at www.fabermusic.com. 

Visit www.universaledition.com for information on Luke Bedford and Oliver Messiaen.

Visit www.schott-music.com to learn more about Bernard Rands and Sir Michael Tippett.

Precise concert details and ticketing information can be located by visiting www.bso.org. 

Luke Bedford
Or Voit Tout En Aventure (2005-6)
for orchestra
1.1.1.1-1.1.1.0-2perc-hp.acc-str(1.1.1.1.1)
14’

Outblaze the Sky (2006)
for orchestra
3.3.3.3-4.3.3.1-timp.2perc-hp.cel-str
6’

Oliver Knussen
Ophelia’s Last Dance (2010)
for solo piano
10’

Higglety Pigglety Pop! (1984-5, rev. 1999)
fantasy opera in one act
libretto (En) by Maurice Sendak
for 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, tenor and two bass-baritones
3(3.pic).1.ca.3(3.bcl).2(2.cbsn)-4.0.3.0-4perc-pno.cel.hp-str(6.6.4.4.4)
60’ 

George Benjamin
Shadowlines (2001)
solo piano
15’

Duet (2008)
for piano and orchestra
2(2.pic).2.3(3.bcl).2(2.cbsn)-2.2.3.1-timp.3perc-hp.cel-str(0.0.8.8.6)
14’

Bernard Rands
Preludes (2007)
for solo piano
40’

Thomas Adès
The Four Quarters (2010)
for string quartet
20’

Olivier Messiaen
Oiseaux Exotiques (1955-56)
for piano and small orchestra
2.1.4.1-2.1.0.0-7perc
16’

Sir Michael Tippett
Praeludium for Brass, Bells and Percussion (1962)
6hn.Dpictpt.2Ctpt.3tpt.2tba-bells.3perc(cym, s.d, b.d, tom-t, cast, wdbl)
6’

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