Boys attend world premiere of 'Particle' at QEH

[Sandy Shaw]

Queen Elizabeth Hall

BBC Concert Orchestra Music & ChanceTuesday 17 February 2009, 7.30pm

Terry Riley In C
Alfred Schnittke Moz-art a la Haydn
Colin Matthews To compose without the least knowledge of music for wind sextet (after Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Musikalisches Wurfelspiel (A musical dice game)
Steve Reich The Four Sections

Charles Hazlewood conductor

An evening with Rabih Abou-Khalil, Pet Shop Boys, Mystery Composer, Tansy Davies, Anne Dudley, Will Gregory, John Hardy, Ives, Fung Lam, Colin Matthews, Mozart, Paul Patterson, Terry Riley, Schnittke, Gwilym Simcock, Stravinsky, Barnaby Taylor and Richard Watson.

Great composers. Great music inspired by the roll of the dice, the turn of the cards - in short, a night of complete chance!

Take a chance on the BBC Concert Orchestra in an evening of music inspired by the roll of the dice, the turn of the cards – in short, a night of complete chance!


12 leading composers
Rabih Abou-Khalil, Pet Shop Boys, Tansy Davies, Anne Dudley, Will Gregory, John Hardy, Fung Lam, Paul Patterson, Andy Sheppard, Gwilym Simcock, Barnaby Taylor and Richard Watson have all done just that.


Collaborate to create one new work
These leading composers, their order decided, naturally, by the roll of a dice – have each written 1 minute of music, with only the last few bars of each score being shown to the next composer. What will be the consequences of this exciting instrumental experiment?

The throw of the dice has inspired generations
Composers through the ages have been fascinated by the possibility of introducing an element of randomness into their music. Mozart relied on the throw of a dice, Colin Matthews played Mozart’s game his way, and Stravinsky was a poker fan.

Roll on down to hear

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Musikalisches Wurfelspiel (A musical dice game)
Colin Matthews: To compose without the least knowledge of music for wind sextet (after Mozart)
Alfred Schnittke: Moz-art a la Haydn
Charles Ives: The Unanswered Question (Contemplation No.1)
Terry Riley: In C
Igor Stravinsky: Jeu de cartes (ballet in 3 deals)
Various: Stakes 'n' Chips

Generations of writers, artists, film-makers and composers have been fascinated by the concept of ‘chance’ in their work. Mozart offered his performers the opportunity to rely on the throw of a dice to put his minuet A Musical Dice Game in order, while Colin Matthews played Mozart’s game his way, ‘without the least knowledge of music’!

Alfred Schnittke brought together snatches of music by the young Mozart and the great musical joker, Haydn, for his ‘game with music’, Moz-Art à la Haydn. Stravinsky was a fanatical card-player and his ballet Jeu de cartes consists of three ‘deals’, each containing a shuffle and the resulting play of the cards. And as part of the deck we have the American maverick Charles Ives and The Unanswered Question.

But it’s the BBC Concert Orchestra itself that’s truly innovating this evening. A group of leading composers including Anne Dudley, Will Gregory, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Tansy Davies, Dave Heath, Paul Patterson, Fung Lam, Barnaby Taylor, John Hardy, Richard Watson and Gwilym Simcock – their order decided, naturally, by the roll of a dice – have each written 60 seconds’ worth of music, with only the last few bars of each score being shown to the next composer. What will be the consequences of this exciting instrumental experiment?


NB Dave Heath was listed on part of the BBC site but does not seem to be part of the final project

Generations of writers, artists, film makers and composers have been fascinated by the concept of 'chance' in their work. And chance is what this concert is all about.

(Edit 11th and 13thand 17th Feb updated information from BBC concert orchestra and South Bank Centre webisites. Maybe 'Stakes 'n' Chips' the title of the new work including PSB?!)

Quote “I-Ching” when booking and get 50% off
Book online at http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk or call 0871 663 2500.
Standard ticket prices £20/£16/£12.

If you quote I-Ching it is 2 tickets for 1 or 50% off. https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music ... stra-41650

[DominoDancing]

Collaborate to create one new work
These leading composers, their order decided, naturally, by the roll of a dice – have each written 1 minute of music, with only the last few bars of each score being shown to the next composer. What will be the consequences of this exciting instrumental experiment?

That sounds very interesting, great idea. Is there any chance this will be broadcast on the radio? And if so, could someone here record and share it ?

[Deschanel]

Anne Dudley is their wonderful go-to girl for beautiful strings and "classical" arrangements, right? Oh, I really hope this is filmed.

What a great week it will be for PSB.. happy for them, looking forward to the Brits.

And I still think they should accept knighthood in the future.. Neil would wear that like a fabulous coat! He'd secretly love it, I'm sure.

[Sandy Shaw]

Anne Dudley is their wonderful go-to girl for beautiful strings and "classical" arrangements, right? Oh, I really hope this is filmed.

What a great week it will be for PSB.. happy for them, looking forward to the Brits.

And I still think they should accept knighthood in the future.. Neil would wear that like a fabulous coat! He'd secretly love it, I'm sure.

Yes, a knighthood each would be great and well deserved. They also do a lot for charity but don't talk about it (much). When Ian McKellen was knighted he used to put on a one man show called 'A Knight Out' with 'Out' refering to the fact that he had 'come out', so if Neil and Chris get one each, they could release a CD called 'Knightlife'!

A great week for PSB indeed . Anyone else going to book tickets for the concert at the QEH?

[TheGhostOfMyself]

So who is off to see PSB at the South Bank Centre on the 17th?

[wieske]

What's going on the 17the on the South Bank?

[GalataPSB]

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/ ... stra-41650

[Sandy Shaw]

Thanks for opening a new thread on this! See PSB at QEH when I ask the same question!!!

[Sandy Shaw]

Anne Dudley is their wonderful go-to girl for beautiful strings and "classical" arrangements, right? Oh, I really hope this is filmed.

What a great week it will be for PSB.. happy for them, looking forward to the Brits.

And I still think they should accept knighthood in the future.. Neil would wear that like a fabulous coat! He'd secretly love it, I'm sure.

Going off topic, but helping to bounce this wonderful original thread on an amazing concert at the South Bank, including music by PSB up again (to be merged with a new thread on the same subject), something about Anne Dudley for you:

Just also announced, Anne Dudley conducting the BBC concert orchestra and ABC doing Lexicon of Love live at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 8th April introduced by Trevor Horn.

[Naughty Zoot]

[quote="Sandy Shaw Going off topic, but helping to bounce this wonderful original thread on an amazing concert at the South Bank, including music by PSB up again (to be merged with a new thread on the same subject), something about Anne Dudley for you:

Just also announced, Anne Dudley conducting the BBC concert orchestra and ABC doing Lexicon of Love live at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 8th April introduced by Trevor Horn.[/quote]

How Cool ! Just this past August, I saw Martin Frye on an 80s/Oldies (yikes?!?!) tour in LA. He was in Top form & sounded just like he did back then. I also saw ABC on tour in Chicago back in the 80s supporting The Lexicon of Love & it, too, was a memorable delight. If you get a chance to go to this -- DO IT.

[Sandy Shaw]

Thanks Naughty Zoot. I have to confess quite close connections with the RAH (work in the Box Office), so I will find it hard to stay away from ABC, particularly as it takes place three days after my birthday.

Back to the QEH concert. Picked up two flyers today, one blue and one green for the Music and Chance concert on the 17th. Sadly, no mention of PSB's, but I think that this could be because they were added to the lineup of 12 leading composers after the flyers went to press. Comedian and musical communicator Bill Bailey is mentioned on the flyers but it seems as if he is no longer involved with the project. The flyers state 'All Information Correct at the time of going to press', so I am going to assume that my email from the BBC Concert orchestra and the listing on the Southbank centre website are more up to date.

This wording from the flyer still applies: 'What will be the consequences of this exciting instrumental experiment? To find out join the players of the BBC Concert Orchestra for an evening of musical magic and chance.'

I have edited this thread to include a reference from John Hardy's site to this commission showing that the PSB's were on board as early as 6th January this year! http://www.johnhardymusic.net/news/late ... ssion.html

Tuesday 6th January 2009

]ohn Hardy has been commissioned to write music for an innovative project by the BBC Concert Orchestra.
In February the orchestra will be performing a concert inspired by chance, with pieces by composers including Mozart, Ives and Stravinsky who have used an element of randomness in the composition of their pieces.

The highlight of the concert will be the premiere of a single 12-minute piece written by 12 leading composers including John Hardy. During winter each composer will write a minute-long section of the piece, with the final order of the sections decided by rolling a dice. As they write their section the composers will each provide a title which becomes part of the complete title of the piece.

Other composers writing sections of the new piece include, in no particular order, Anne Dudley, Will Gregory, Fung Lam, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Tansy Davies, Paul Patterson, Pet Shop Boys and Gwilym Simcock.

Will Gregory is the guy from Goldfrapp! The Fung Lam Piece was written in 2008 and is called 'Be'
http://www.funglam.com/Fung_Lam/Performances.html
http://www.tansydavies.com
http://www.barnabytaylor.com/
http://www.paulpatterson.co.uk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabih_Abou-Khalil
http://www.myspace.com/rabihaboukhalil
http://www.gwilymsimcock.com/index.htm
http://www.annedudley.co.uk/
Anyone else booked yet?

[donjuan]

Yes ...i's official

From O S

On February 17th at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's Southbank the BBC Concert Orchestra will perform a concert which includes a new work, "Music and Chance", for which 12 composers have each written one minute. Pet Shop Boys have written one minute for full orchestra. The concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/ ... stra-41650

[Sandy Shaw]

Yes ...i's official

From O S

On February 17th at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's Southbank the BBC Concert Orchestra will perform a concert which includes a new work, "Music and Chance", for which 12 composers have each written one minute. Pet Shop Boys have written one minute for full orchestra. The concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/ ... stra-41650

Thanks! I received my ticket in the post today!

[Naughty Zoot]

WOW!

A Minute on the Ears.
A Lifetime on the Memory.

[One of the crowd]

Just dont go for a piss when that bit is on!