Of Gold and Shadows

CBSO Centre, Birmingham
Berkley Street, Birmingham, B1 2LF
United Kingdom
0121 767 4050
http://www.bcmg.org.uk

Conductor: Oliver Knussen
Baritone: Leigh Melrose

The jewel at the heart of this opening concert of the season is the world premiere of Silvina Milstein’s Sound Investment commission de oro y sombra ... (of gold and shadows ...). BCMG Artist-in-Association, Oliver Knussen is a champion of Silvina’s music. Argentinian born, previous works by Milstein have used characteristic rhythms, turns-of-phrases, and sounds from Argentinian popular music (tango, milonga, bolero), embodying them in textures inspired by the music of early 20th century Vienna (Schoenberg, Berg and Webern). Scored for two flutes, clarinet, two horns, two trumpets, harp and six strings, Silvina’s Sound Investment commission continues an exploration that began with her 2008 composition surrounded by distance, where she was drawn to explore ‘the seemingly precise manner in which musical shapes and configurations arise spontaneously’.

Silvina is a senior lecturer at King’s College London with a particular interest in the music of Arnold Schoenberg. Whilst Milstein’s piece is the newest in the programme, Schoenberg’s Serenade is the oldest - this series of hyper-expressive marches and waltzes for seven instruments and baritone, was premiered in 1924. Luigi Dallapiccola was heavily influenced by Schoenberg during his early career, his Preghiere (prayers) for baritone and ensemble sets predominantly dark poems by Murilo Mendes.

Two Birtwistle works complete the programme. The World is Discovered, an instrumental ceremony of versus and choruses inspired by Picasso’s 1960 Tate exhibition, and Dinah and Nick’s Love Song, a celebratory miniature scored for three melody instruments and harp composed around the same time as Birtwistle’s opera The Mask of Orpheus.

There will be a free pre-concert talk at 6.30pm with Silvina Milstein and Stephen Newbould, open to all ticket holders, lasting approx. 30 minutes.

Silvina Milstein : de oro y sombra...
Harrison Birtwistle : The world is discovered
Harrison Birtwistle : Dinah and Nick's Love Song
Luigi Dallapiccola : Preghiere
Arnold Schoenberg : Serenade Op. 24