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Premieres by Valgeir Sigurðsson and Jonny Greenwood at Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival

Jan. 09, 2014

Premieres by Valgeir Sigurðsson and Jonny Greenwood at Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival

This month, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra premieres works by Jonny Greenwood and Valgeir Sigurðsson as part of its 23rd Annual New Music Festival. Titled “Beyond”, this year’s Festival is inspired by the relationship between Pierre Boulez and Frank Zappa and explores trends in new music today. The Festival runs from January 25 through January 31 and features performances of music by several contemporary-music luminaries, including Zappa, Arvo Pärt, Valentin Silvestrov, Gavin Bryars, and Toshio Hosokawa. 

Under the direction of Alexander Mickelthwate, the orchestra gives the world premiere of Sigurðsson's Eighteen Hundred and Seventy Five for orchestra and electronics, with the composer performing electronics. The piece was commissioned by Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba. The premiere takes place on January 29 at Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg. Excerpts of Sigurðsson's chamber ballet, Architecture of Loss, are also featured as part of the Festival at the Crescent Fork Rouge United Church on January 30.

Jonny Greenwood’s homage to Krzysztof Penderecki, 48 Responses to Polymorphia, receives its Canadian premiere at the Festival on January 25. Written in 2011, the piece is scored for 48 solo strings and is inspired by Penderecki’s 1961 work for the same instrumentation, Polymorphia. Mickelthwate conducts the performance, which takes place at Centennial Concert Hall.

The Festival also features the Canadian premiere of Valentin Silvestrov’s Requiem for Larisa on January 31, as well as performances of Toshio Hosokawa’s Three Japanese Folk Songs, Arvo Pärt’s Litany, selections from Gavin Bryars’s First Book of Madrigals, and Frank Zappa’s G Spot Tornado, Dog Breath Variations, and The Perfect Stranger.

For more information on the WSO New Music Festival, including a complete list of performances, please visit www.newmusicfestival.ca.

For more information on Jonny Greenwood and Valgeir Sigurðsson, please visit www.fabermusic.com.

Visit www.schott-music.com for details on Toshio Hosokawa, Gavin Bryars, Frank Zappa and Valentin Silvestrov.

Information on Arvo Pärt can be found at www.universaledition.com. 

Valgeir Sigurðsson
Eighteen Hundred and Seventy Five (2013)
for orchestra and electronics
2.2.2.2-4.3.3.1-timp-2perc-hp-pno-str-electronics
12-15’
 
Architecture of Loss (2012)
ballet for chamber ensemble of three players and electronics (2012)
pno(BD+tape)-va.ebass(synth/waterphone/shaker/BD)
30’
 
Jonny Greenwood
48 Responses to Polymorphia (2011)
for 48 solo strings
24vn.8va.8vc.8db
19’
 
Valentin Silvestrov
Requiem for Larisa (1997-1999)
for mixed choir and orchestra
1(pic, afl in G).1(ca).1.bcl.0-2.2.2.1-1perc-synth(cel)-hp-pno-str(10.8.8.6.4)
45’
 
Toshio Hosokawa
Three Japanese Folk Songs (2013)
for vocal ensemble
12’
 
Arvo Pärt
Litany (1994-1996)
for soli, mixed choir and orchestra
2(pic).2.2.2-2.1.1.0-3perc3-str
 
Gavin Bryars
First Book of Madrigals (1998-2000)
for unaccompanied male voices
35’
 
Frank Zappa
G Spot Tornado (arr. 1992)
for orchestra
1(pic).1.1(Ebcl).bcl.1(perc ad lib.)-2(perc ad lib.).2(2.pic tpt).2(perc ad lib.).1(perc ad lib.)-3perc-gtr.mand.hp.cel.pno-2vn.va.vc.elec db
5’
 
Dog Breath Variations (1970)
for chamber orchestra
1(pic.afl).1(ca).1.bcl.1.cbsn-2.2.2(1ttbn.2btbn).1-3perc-mand.banjo.hp.cel.pno-2vn.va.vc.elec bass[no db]
6’

The Perfect Stranger (1984)
for orchestra
2(2afl).2(2ca).2.bcl.1-2.2.2.1-3perc-hp.2pno(2cel)-str
13’

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