The National Falling in Love Again
Words by
Phil Lambert
ANAM Librarian
We classical music lovers share a mutual problem. When we are immature, everything is an chance. We are like frisky puppies, sticking our noses into everything. Nosotros race from Bach to Bernstein, Machaut to Mackey sniffing and loving it all…
Years subsequently, we attain a certain age and nosotros abound picky. We've heard perhaps too much. We know what we similar, but we also know what we don't like, and far from beingness curious puppies racing to every new scent, we are more like old labradors, quite content to meander down the same familiar paths. The worst matter is, adding new composers to our range of acquaintance seems like too much hard work. It'southward similar the moment in the movie Deception, when Cary Grant first spots Audrey Hepburn. He tries to introduce himself, and she, with impeccable Hepburn poise replies, "I already know an atrocious lot of people, then until 1 of them dies I couldn't possibly meet anyone else". That's how we feel about adding a new composer to our lives. Nosotros already know an awful lot, so why bother?
But I've decided to shake off this jaded mental attitude for 2019. My musical New year's resolution is to Adopt a Living Composer, and I'grand already off to a proficient start. In a way, allowing a new composer into one's life is like dating. Yous have to make an endeavour, and yous're not sure if the effort will be worth it. Listening to a new piece, past a new proper noun, is like a offset appointment. Commencement impressions count. You lot have note of his or her full general demeanour, style of wearing apparel, manner of speech. You await for common interests. As you both churr away, y'all may suddenly realise, "Oh, they similar Mozart, that'due south promising," or "Wow, they dearest Golden Age Hollywood motion picture noir! Bingo!", and earlier you know it, you're mentally cancelling tomorrow dark'due south bridge club then you tin can spend more time getting to know your perfect lucifer.
On the other paw, the first appointment tin can go horribly wrong. Y'all strike up a conversation – y'all of course being mainly the listener – and before too long you accept an uneasy feeling. 10 minutes later you realise your date is into heavy metallic, sharp objects and hurting, then you immediately plead a crushing headache, ask for the nib and go the hell out of at that place.
Which is to say you press eject or change the aqueduct. And the worst part about your disastrous showtime date is it confirms your earlier suspicions that you were stupid even to go on a appointment in the first place and would have been much happier staying at home with the friends yous know and love, or at least, tolerate. "What was I thinking," y'all ask yourself, "thinking I could fall in honey over again, at my age?" This is a shame, and information technology's a blueprint I feel many older music lovers fall into. We'd like to autumn in love again, only information technology gets harder. Well, let me tell you, there is hope.
I am falling in honey. His name is Graham Fitkin (pictured below), and he lives in Cornwall. He is only 2 years younger than myself, and while historic period differences are usually irrelevant in musical love affairs, I notice myself in melody with Graham's mode of thinking. He loved the avant-garde when he was younger (allow's face it, we all did, until we got over it), but then he developed his own style of minimalism. Not that empty, annoying minimalism that only repeats the same arpeggio 140 times, only the kind that works subtly, with a few interesting ideas weaving around together, and slowly growing similar foliage on a plant. Listening to Graham is similar relaxing into a warm bath. I just let his sounds wash over me.
He also confesses to a love of trash telly, which rather endears me to him. So, he's written a fantastically funny slice chosenGameshow, for saxophone. Heed to information technology for a minute and you'll find yourself chuckling at memories of Tony Hairdresser. And there'southward a cute slice called Jim and Pam and Pam and Jim, which is nigh a relationship he followed on the soapie Neighbours. I practise like a composer who doesn't take himself besides seriously.
He has a partner, Ruth, who is a harpist and also his musical collaborator, but that's okay, because in musical love affairs polyamory is allowed. Actually, I've grown to like Ruth as well, because Graham has written so many beautiful pieces for her, including the hypnoticSnow Clench, a moody meditation for harp and moog which would make the perfect soundtrack for a Scandi thriller. I oasis't even so asked Graham what the title means, but I'll go effectually to it.
Anyhow, if you lot'd like to encounter Graham, I'm happy to share him with you. Every bit I said, polyamory is okay in these relationships. You tin hear two – yes, ii – of his marvellous pieces at ANAM's 2019 Opening Concert. The showtime isFlak, a fascinating piece for 4 pianists. You lot only realise towards the end that the whole thing has been written for merely the white keys – brilliant! And so there'sHook, a actually exciting piece for four marimbas. What he gets those percussionists to do will brand your eyes and ears pop.
Can I tell him we'll see you lot there?
– Article orignally published in ANAM's Music Makers vol 30
Heed to snippets of Graham Fitkin's music (including Flak)
2019 OPENING CONCERT
Saturday 2 March 7.30pm
Due south Melbourne Boondocks Hall
Observe OUT More
Graham Fitkin lives in Cornwall. He composes for concerts, dance, film and digital media and runs his own ensemble of 9 soloists. Between 1994 and 1996 Graham was resident composer with the Regal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Since and so he has been commissioned by Halle, BBC Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony, RSNO, BBC Orchestra of Wales, New York City Ballet, BBC Symphony Orchestra etc.
He collaborates with musicians such every bit Powerplant, Nederlands Blazersensemble, Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott, Will Gregory, Pianoforte Circus, Ensemble Bash and Sacconi Quartet. Graham oftentimes works with choreographers and dance companies including Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, Wayne McGregor's Random Dance, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Bi-Ma, Sidonie Rochon, Munich Ballet and Royal Ballet.
Recent works include Circuit, for soloists Kathryn Stott and Noriko Ogawa with BBC Philharmonic, a Cello Concerto for Yo-Yo Ma, Still Warm for Ruth Wall, Lens for Janine Jansen at the Concertgebouw and Twenty Vi Days for 10:10 at HCMF. There accept been contempo collaborations with Les Percussions Claviers de Lyon, Powerplant, Ruth Wall and the Royal Ballet and since 2007 he has been Resident Composer with London Bedroom Orchestra.
Recordings of Graham's work have been released by Decca, Factory Classical, Sanctuary, Sony, EMI and GFR. Circuit has just been released with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra on BIS.
His own band performed new work for the London Olympiad, an opera for the Royal Opera Firm in collaboration with Jasmin Vardimon and an orchestral collaboration to celebrate 2014 European Metropolis of Culture, Umea in Sweden. 2015 saw a new premiere for RLPO and FitkinWall release the new album Lostand tour through UK and Europe. In 2016 the band recorded a double album at Real World Studios for release at the finish of the twelvemonth.
Find out more than at fitkin.com
"Flak is bursting with great ideas, enthralling moments and imagination. Fitkin is unafraid both of basslines that could come straight from Holland-Dozier-The netherlands and the pentatonic energy of modern jazzmen like Corea." –NME, UK
Source: https://anam.com.au/anam-blog/fallinginloveagain
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