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Oliver Knussen in Residence at the Library of Congress

Mar. 31, 2014

Oliver Knussen in Residence at the Library of Congress

In celebration of his illustrious career as composer, conductor and advocate for contemporary music, Oliver Knussen curates a weeklong festival with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. from April 7 to 12.

On April 8, the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group offers a program including Knussen’s beloved work for chamber ensemble, Ophelia Dances Book 1, alongside his recent Ophelia’s Last Dance for solo piano. Commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, Ophelia Dances was premiered in 1975 by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, led by Michael Tilson Thomas. Knussen describes the work:

Why is Ophelia dancing? Partly as an instrumental response to Shakespeare’s description of her chanting “snatches of old tunes/ As one incapable of her own distress”, and partly because I wanted to write a piece whose light-headed and giddy qualities would suggest a crossing of the line that divides laughter from tears. The ‘old tunes’ in this piece are Schumann’s Carnaval, whose mottos provided much of its melodic and harmonic material, and two late works of Debussy, La boîte à joujoux and Gigues.

On April 11, the ensemble performs Knussen’s Cantata (Triptych, part 3), for oboe and string trio, paired with Hans Werner Henze’s Adagio adagio as well as works by Benjamin Britten, Elliott Carter and Mark Neikrug. Rounding off the week is “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band which performs a selection of works by Knussen’s colleagues, including Gunther Schuller and Peter Lieberson, on April 12.

All performances take place at the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress.

For more information on Oliver Knussen, please visit www.fabermusic.com.

Complete details of Knussen’s residency can be found at www.loc.gov.

Oliver Knussen
Ophelia Dances Book 1 (1975)
for chamber ensemble
fl.ca.cl-hn-pno.cel-vn.va.vc
8’

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

Cantata – Triptych Part 3 (1977)
for oboe and string trio
10’

Hans Werner Henze
Adagio adagio (1993)
Serenade for violin, cello and piano
4’

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