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Home , Sally Burgess, Sarah Connolly, Twice Through the Heart, Your Rockaby

Mark-Anthony turnage Hidden Love Song | The Torn Fields conductor mezzo-soprano MARTIN ROBERTSON soprano saxophone GERALD FINLEY baritone PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Such is the immediacy of the names lifers [prisoners serving life sentences], and Mark-Anthony Turnage gives his works that felt great empathy with them, as well as an even a glance through his catalogue can attraction to the solitude”, Turnage said in provoke an emotional response. Many of his 1997. He was drawn to a BBC film of Kay’s titles generously reveal the content of the poetry, including Twice Through the Heart, piece they label, none more so than those on some years earlier. “This story struck me this disc: one, a literal description of the because the woman had refused to testify human act which gave birth to the piece; the against her husband. When Jackie and I tried next a touchingly disarming reference to the to make it into an , we realised that the work’s emotional tectonics; the third an image strength lay in the poetry, and so it became a that seems to encapsulate both the pace of ‘dramatic scena’, from the woman’s point of the work and the terror of its subject. This view.” The resulting drafts were nurtured by point-blank communication extends beyond the Contemporary Opera Studio at English titling to the works’ very thematic and musical National Opera, and the finished piece was fabric. “I pick strong emotional subject matter first performed on 13 June 1997 at the because it stimulates me”, says the composer Aldeburgh Festival by Sally Burgess and – those subject matters frequently include the members of the Orchestra of English National human effects of drug addiction, abuse, death Opera, conducted by Nicholas Kok. and war. Across nine sections in three sets of three, ‘the ‘There’s no way out, no way out.’ Turnage’s woman’ – originally named but subsequently mezzo-soprano launches into the taboo- stripped of an identity by Kay and Turnage to troubled subject matter of Twice Through the achieve ‘more distance’ – turns to contrasting Heart with a similar immediacy to that of the aspects of her predicament in a first person work’s title. The verse by Jackie Kay continues free-flow narrative style associated with in a straightforward non-poetic manner – conversational therapy; Kay describes it as the “everyday…almost banal” in Kay’s words. It woman’s ‘imagined voice’. Despite her ordeal, tells of a woman who stabbed her husband remnants of the woman’s love for her husband with a kitchen knife after suffering years of survive and are shot through the work in a emotional and physical abuse, subsequently strand almost more unnerving than the meeting Kay during education work in prison. obvious anger and fear, ‘the heart’ of the title Turnage and Kay were bound by similar can be seen as anatomical and emotional as experience working with prisoners: “I’d done the woman recalls both marital happiness and education work with prisoners, particularly her courtroom loyalty to her husband. Turnage’s music poses an emotional subtext some passages the music seems scarcely there to the woman’s speech. Like her, it’s rarely at all; every word as discernible and rhythmic violent or hysterical, but does reflect the as it would be in speech. claustrophobia of both her marital incarceration before the killing and her It might seem surprising, then, that Turnage is physical incarceration after it – opening with a particularly challenged by the prospect of stern cascade akin to the falling of a prison writing for voice: “I find it hard to write vocal portcullis, almost as an inversion of the rising music… but Gerald Finley is, in my view, the of a stage curtain. greatest baritone around. Writing for him made it easier.” So commented Turnage in Turnage commented in 1997 that writing the advance of the London première of the song piece was “more difficult than anything else cycle The Torn Fields by the Birmingham I’ve done”, but still Twice through the Heart is Contempory Music Group and Gerald Finley, one of the most remarkable creations of his conducted by Alexander Briger, on 6 October 30s – the period that gave birth to Blood on 2004 (the first performance, by the same the Floor and Scorched. His hallmarks are forces, took place two years earlier at the discernible: woodwind and brass sing out Berlin Festival). It was for Finley that Turnage bluesy pleas (though unusually there’s no part created the role of Harry Heegan in his First for saxophone), and there’s a lyricism that World War opera The Silver Tassie, of which recalls ’s celebrated marital-murder this song cycle is a creative evacuee – the opera Wozzeck (as does the translucency of Wilfred Owen poem Wounded, set in the some of the instrumental writing, particularly fourth movement, was the template for the at the work’s conclusion). The predominantly original play. low instrumental textures are by turns thin like a prison mattress, broad and menacing, The Torn Fields feels immediately less and luscious and heartfelt. Taunting themes impulsive than Twice Through the Heart. emerge and become familiar, whilst the purely Framed by enigmatic fanfares which suggest a instrumental passages offer something of the world of nightmarish incomprehensibility, the indulgent, poetic emotion that Kay’s text work sets five First World War poems that deliberately avoids. That text is utterly savagely attack the sweeping loss of war, embodied by Turnage’s vocal writing, which often spiked with acerbic, critical humour. underwent major revision during a series of Emerging from an oblique low-string fog, the workshops prior to performance. As a measure soloist is first heard in a lonely, bluesy hum of his sensitivity and embracing of the text, in doubled by bassoon; far from the elastic twang that launches Twice Through the Heart. Turnage became the London Philharmonic Moreover, Turnage’s instrumental landscape, Orchestra’s Composer in Residence in 2005, and though often angular and lyrical like that of Hidden Love Song, a brief ‘song’ for soprano Twice Through the Heart, embodies the saxophone and chamber orchestra including strange, alien world of indiscriminate killing harpsichord, was the first collaboration of the rather than the more ‘everyday’ concept of residency, commissioned by the Orchestra with one-off murder. Norwegian and German partners. The work was written with two artists in mind: to perform it, In conveying this landscape, Turnage calls on a frequent recipient of Turnage commissions larger instrumental forces, this time including and the composer’s good friend the soprano saxophone. Within the score he saxophonist Martin Robertson; and its conjures episodes of vivid, explicit drama from dedicatee, Turnage’s then fiancée and now wife, the ensemble, including the galloping the musician Gabriella Swallow. The piece instrumental advances that corner the soloist creates a theme from the usable letters in her in No More Jokes, and the pale jazz dances (on name (G-A-B-E-A-S-A, with S representing E flat muted, vibrato-less strings and celeste) and in the German system of notation) which is derelict fanfares that recall ‘the old times’ lost heard at the work’s opening, recurring in the by the maimed survivor of Owen’s Disabled. melody line that emerges later. The melancholy But the texts dominate still, even if the musical of the other featured works isn’t entirely lyricism is perhaps more marked in a response eschewed despite the nature of the piece – that to that of the poetic phrase. Atop the lurching itself is a Turnage hallmark – and the piece is ‘pale battalions’ of mouthless dead which troll more a lullaby than a rhapsody, in which the across Turnage’s setting of Charles Sorley’s saxophone is joined occasionally by the , verse, the sore truths of the text are left gaping Gabriella’s instrument, in a touching gesture of and obvious, with only touches of ironic anger understanding rather than an embrace. from the woodwind. In the final movement, Alongside his writing for voice, Turnage’s music the baritone’s lyricism transcends the melee in for woodwind has a natural sensitivity to it; the manner of Siegfried Sassoon’s poem, the here the expression of love through purely instruments try to join him, attempting to abstracted musical means seems an appropriate spiral heavenward with major-key inflections gesture – sentiments coming exclusively from as far as the implications of the returning the composer himself, whose frankness sees opening fanfare will allow, but seeming not them not so hidden after all. quite to reach the haven found by the ‘prisoned birds in freedom’ of the vocal line. Andrew Mellor, 2007 Twice Through the Heart

PART 1

1. No Way Out

There’s no way out, no way out, He ties the kitchen towel into a garrotte, There’s no way out, no way out. He hits me with a rolling pin. There’s no way out, no way out. I notice a steak knife missing, There’s no way out, no way out.

We’re too old for this, I shout. There’s no way out, no way out. He just keeps on and on about, There’s no way out, no way out. He’s always on about how I am in the wrong, He’ll sort me out, sort me out. He walks towards me. Lout.

I pick up a knife to protect myself, There’s no way out, no way out. He keeps on walking towards me. There’s no way out, no way out. The knife is smiling. Come on, kill me. There’s no way out, not one way out, no way out. He towers above me, that odd mouth. 2. Inside (part 1)

There was no one to tell the tale I couldn’t be that disloyal The way his love turned into a belt As if hatred was all he felt. I am in this small cell All those years in a silent hell My lawyer said talk at the trial But I couldn’t be that disloyal.

So many years and I could never tell Shame ringing like a church bell Every time taking its toll There is no one to tell the tale.

3. Love

For the first time in my life I had a love child, Planted like a garden, wanted. I swelled With pleasure, passing the days along the coast, Light breeze, laughing. I was forty, laughing.

He and I we liked to keep things simple. We sat down to dinner and toasted each other. All for us, the bright stars in the sky, The half moon.

I never wanted anyone so much, so soon. Desire shook me. Then Suddenly something went wrong. Love gone rotten. Our child screamed.

You write notes. We fight. You won’t talk. You write notes. We fight. You won’t talk. The walls come in like a terrible tide. Trapped here, marooned, mouth open wide. PART II

4. By the Sea

What is there to talk about? There’s no way out, no way out.

Fear stopped me walking out There was no way out, no way out.

I didn’t want to sully his name I wore it like a skin, the shame.

He wasn’t a frail weak man I’m not what you think I am.

I can’t talk of his repeated sin He hit me with a rolling pin.

All I ever wanted was a simple life My church, my child, being a wife.

Just him and me, him and me Inside a small house by the sea. 5. Inside (part 2)

Inside I’d say please don’t, Grit my teeth, bite the pillow. You pulled me to a place Where everything went numb, hollow. I’d lose my voice. Inside, I’d say don’t please. High on the wall I’d watch your shadow Turn against me – shape of a storm.

My own heart, broken like bones, I’d wish at night for tomorrow, When I might wash you away and sorrow Would leave me alone. Nothing, nothing washes you away, You, underneath my skin That smell, that voice, that hollow, My own heart, broken like bones.

6. Four Walls

Within these four walls he stares at me. We don’t venture out much these days. Holiday brochures come by post; I leaf through the glorious pictures of Tunisia. What about a coach trip? A mystery tour? He won’t go anywhere. His endless notes: More milk, get me my tea, I talk to myself. Live somewhere else. He writes notes. We fight. He won’t talk. He writes notes. We fight. He won’t talk. He writes notes. We fight. He won’t talk. PART III

7. Interlude

8. Landslide

His body is buried in the land. You are buried here: this place Where your voice is.

A disused mine. You mime The same sentence. The sound gets stuck, Life. Life.

You wait for the time that never comes, Days slide into nights. Waiting. Nights long like years in a small room.

The wind sings through cells. You buried something and forgot Where you put it. Years ago.

Maybe you even forgot what you buried. How it went. What the tune was. Remembering is dying slowly, dying slowly.

Slipping away. Walking the same Coastline until your body steps – Like land slides into the sea – Under the path, people will later walk over. 9. China Cup

This china cup, every night, this china cup The same fragile bone china from home. My hands cupping bluebells. Locked in.

In my cell I lift my mouth to my china cup The same fragile bone china from home. Outside, the long stretch of stone. Tide in.

Every night this hot drink from my china cup In this small cell like the one at home. Four walls here, four there. Tide in.

Every night this same routine china cup, Powdered milk. Alone. Sipping away at home. The noise of the key turning. Locked in. Locked in. Locked in.

Verse by Jackie Kay (b. 1961) reproduced by permission of Schott Music Limited The Torn Fields

11. Prologue

12. A son (Loss)

My son was killed while laughing at some jest. I would I knew What it was, and it might serve me in a time when jests are few.

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) from Epitaphs of War

13. The Immortals (No More Jokes)

I killed them, but they would not die. Yea! all the day and all the night For them I could not rest or sleep, Nor guard from them nor hide in flight.

Then in my agony I turned And made my hands red in their gore. In vain – for faster than I slew They rose more cruel than before.

I killed and killed with slaughter mad; I killed till all my strength was gone. And still they rose to torture me, For Devils only die in fun.

I used to think the Devil hid In women’s smiles and wine’s carouse. I called him Satan, Balzebub. But now I call him, dirty louse.

Isaac Rosenberg (1890–1918) 14. Disabled (Wounded)

He sat in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark, And shivered in his ghastly suit of grey, Legless, sewn short at elbow. Through the park Voices of boys rang saddening like a hymn, Voices of play and pleasure after day, Till gathering sleep had mothered them from him. About this time Town used to swing so gay When glow-lamps budded in the light-blue trees And girls glanced lovelier as the air grew dim, — In the old times, before he threw away his knees. Now he will never feel again how slim Girls’ waists are, or how warm their subtle hands, All of them touch him like some queer disease.

There was an artist silly for his face, For it was younger than his youth, last year. Now he is old; his back will never brace; He’s lost his colour very far from here, Poured it down shell-holes till the veins ran dry, And half his lifetime lapsed in the hot race, And leap of purple spurted from his thigh. One time he liked a bloodsmear down his leg, After the matches carried shoulder-high. It was after football, when he’d drunk a peg, He thought he’d better join. [He wonders why… Someone had said he’d look a god in kilts. That’s Why; and maybe, too, to please his Meg, Aye, that was it, to please the giddy jilts, He asked to join. He didn’t have to beg] Smiling they wrote his lie; aged nineteen years. [Germans he scarcely thought of; and no fears Of fear came yet. He thought of jewelled hilts For daggers in plaid socks; of smart salutes; And care of arms and leave; and pay arrears; Esprit de corps; and hints for young recruits.] And soon, he was drafted out with drums and cheers.

Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal. Only a solemn man who brought him fruits Thanked him; and then inquired about his soul. Now, he will spend a few sick years in Institutes, And do what things the rules consider wise, And take whatever pity they may dole. Tonight he noticed how the women’s eyes Passed from him to the strong men that were whole. How cold and late it is! Why don’t they come And put him into bed? Why don’t they come?

Wilfred Owen (1893–1918) 15. Interlude 16. When you see millions of the mouthless dead (The Mouthless Dead) When you see millions of the mouthless dead Across your dreams in pale battalions go, Say not soft things as other men have said, That you’ll remember. For you need not so. Give them not praise. For, deaf, how should they know It is not curses heaped on each gashed head? Nor tears. Their blind eyes see not your tears flow. Nor honour. It is easy to be dead. Say only this, “They are dead.” Then add thereto, “Yet many a better one has died before.” Then, scanning all the o’ercrowded mass, should you Perceive one face that you loved heretofore, It is a spook. None wears the face you knew. Great death has made all his for evermore. Charles Sorley (1895–1915) 17. Everyone Sang (Aftermath) Everyone suddenly burst out singing; And I was filled with such delight As prisoned birds must find in freedom, Winging wildly across the white Orchards and dark-green fields; on, on, and out of sight. Everyone’s voice was suddenly lifted; And beauty came like the setting sun: My heart was shaken with tears; [and horror Drifted away...] O, but Everyone Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done. Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967)

[text in square brackets not set by Turnage] Sarah Connolly Martin Robertson mezzo-soprano soprano saxophone

Sarah Connolly studied Martin Roberston studied at the Royal College of and saxophone at

Peter Warren Peter Music and has achieved the ,

international success in Sinnos Panayotis and is now one of the world’s opera, in concert and in leading saxophonists, recital. Her appearances with a special interest in on the opera stage include the title roles in contemporary music and a strong creative Purcell’s (), Handel’s relationship with Mark-Anthony Turnage, (Glyndebourne Festival Opera) by whom he has been gifted a number of and Gluck’s Orfeo (Bayerische Staatsoper, works. It was with Turnage’s Sarabande that Munich); Annio in La clemenza di Tito Martin Robertson made his solo professional (); Sesto (La clemenza di debut at the Purcell Room in 1986, following Tito, nominated for an Olivier Award), Dido which Turnage’s concerto was (), Susie (The Silver Tassie) and the written for him. He has performed with title roles in Handel’s , Xerxes and orchestras throughout the world including – all at . the London, Los Angeles, Hamburg and Sarah Connolly has appeared at numerous Tampere Philharmonic Orchestras, the City concert halls and festivals worldwide, under of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Sir BBC Symphony and Scottish Symphony Colin Davis, Daniel Harding and Philippe Orchestras and the Ensemble Modern. He Herreweghe whilst her commitment to the has also performed at the Tanglewood and promotion of new music has seen her give the Umea Festivals, and extensively at the BBC world premières of works by Mark-Anthony Proms. Martin Robertson has worked across Turnage, Jonathan Harvey and Sir John many genres of music, seamlessly crossing Tavener. She has recorded prolifically and the boundaries of classical, jazz and world appears on the Harmonia Mundi, Deutsche music and performing on ethnic woodwind Grammophon, Erato and Naxos labels, also instruments including the taragato and appearing as soloist on Sir ’s duduk. He appears extensively on record soundtrack to the film . and on film, including the soundtracks to major pictures Billy Elliot, Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Earth. Gerald Finley baritone Marin Alsop conductor

Canadian baritone Gerald Marin Alsop was born in Finley began singing as a New York and studied at chorister in Ottawa and later Yale University and the Kym Thomson Kym in the choir of King’s College Juilliard School. She became Sim Canetty-Clarke Cambridge, studying at the the first woman to head a Royal College of Music and major American orchestra the National Opera Studio; he enjoys a strong when she became Music Director of the collaborative relationship with composer Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2007, and Mark-Anthony Turnage. He began his operatic in the same year she commenced her fifth career in Mozart’s operatic roles with and final season as Principal Conductor of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and is now Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in the UK. regularly heard at opera houses throughout She is one of the few conductors to regularly the world. He works regularly at the Royal appear with both the London Symphony Opera House, , where his roles and London Philharmonic Orchestras, and have included the Count (Le nozze di Figaro), frequently conducts other high-profile Golaud (Pelléas et Mélisande), the Forester (The ensembles including the Philadelphia, Chicago Cunning Little Vixen), Germont (La traviata) Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and New and the title role in Don Giovanni. Gerald York Philharmonic Orchestras. She was for Finley is a leading exponent of contemporary twelve years Music Director of the Colorado music, and amongst the roles he has given Symphony, later Conductor Laureate, and has the first performances of are those of Harry been Music Director of the Cabrillo Festival Heegan in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s The Silver of Contemporary Music in California since Tassie, J. Robert Oppenheimer in John Adams’ 1991. Marin Alsop has recorded the Brahms Doctor Atomic, Jaufre Rudel in Kaija Saariaho’s symphonies with the London Philharmonic L’amour de loin and Mr Fox in Tobias Picker’s Orchestra for the Naxos label, on which Fantastic Mr Fox. Gerald Finley is an active she also appears with the Bournemouth recording artist, appearing as a soloist on discs Symphony Orchestra. She is the first artist to conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, Sir John Eliot have won Gramophone’s Artist of the Year Gardiner, Christopher Hogwood, Richard award and the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Hickox and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, whilst his Conductor Award in the same season, and recital discs for CBS and Hyperion have in 2005 became the first ever conductor to attracted major awards. be named a MacArthur Fellow, joining an illustrious list of American thinkers and artists. Commission Details

Twice Through the Heart The Torn Fields

Commissioned by the Commissioned by the Birmingham John S Cohen Foundation. Contemporary Music Group (BCMG) with financial assistance from West First performed at Snape Maltings Midland Arts and participants in the Concert Hall as part of the Fiftieth BCMG’s Sound Investment scheme. Aldeburgh Festival, 13 June 1997. First performed at the Philharmonie, Berlin as part of the Berlin Chamber Hidden Love Song Music Festival, 17 September 2002.

Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with generous support from the Southbank Centre and in association with the Risør Festival of Chamber Music and Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie (Koblenz, Germany).

First performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, on 30 January 2006. Saunders / ArenaPAL Keith

Mark-Anthony Turnage Die Namen, die Mark-Anthony Turnage Misshandlungen ihren Mann mit einem seinen Kompositionen gibt, sind so Küchenmesser erstochen hat. Kay lernte unmittelbar ansprechend, dass schon das die Frau später in einer erzieherischen bloße Durchblättern seines Werkkatalogs Massnahme im Gefängnis kennen. Auch zu einer emotionalen Reaktion führen kann. Turnage hatte Erfahrungen in der Arbeit mit Viele seiner Titel enthüllen den jeweiligen Gefangenen: „Ich habe pädagogische Arbeit Inhalt der einzelnen Stücke, und das trifft mit Gefangenen geleistet, vor allem mit ganz besonders auf diejenigen zu, die auf Lebenslänglichen. Ich konnte mich sehr gut der vorliegenden CD versammelt sind: ein in sie hineinfühlen, und von der Einsamkeit Titel ist eine wörtliche Beschreibung der fühlte ich mich angezogen“, so Turnage menschlichen Tat, dem die Entstehung des 1997. Sehr angesprochen hatte ihn schon Werks zu verdanken ist; der nächste bezieht einige Jahre zuvor ein Film der BBC über sich, ebenso entwaffnend wie rührend, auf Jackie Kays Lyrik, der auch Twice Through den emotionalen Aufbau der Komposition; der the Heart behandelte. „Mich berührte dritte scheint sowohl das Tempo als auch den besonders, dass die Frau sich geweigert Schrecken des Sujets illustrieren zu wollen. hatte, gegen ihren Mann auszusagen. Als Diese ganz direkte Kommunikation geht über Jackie und ich versuchten, daraus eine die reine Namensgebung hinaus und erstreckt Oper zu machen, merkten wir, dass die sich auf die thematische und musikalische Kraft des Sujets in der Dichtung lag, und Struktur der Werke. Der Komponist sagt so wurde daraus eine ‚dramatische Szene’ dazu: „Ich wähle gern kraftvolle Stoffe - sie aus dem Blickwinkel der Frau heraus.“ spornen mich an.“ Oftmals geht es um die Mit den Entwürfen beschäftigte sich das Auswirkungen, die Drogensucht, Missbrauch, Contemporary Opera Studio an der English Tod und Krieg auf den Menschen haben. National Opera. Das fertige Werk wurde am 13. Juni 1997 im Rahmen des Aldeburgh „There’s no way out, no way out“ (Es gibt Festivals von Sally Burgess und Mitgliedern keinen Ausweg), ruft Turnages Mezzosopran des English National Orchestra uraufgeführt. im tabubelasteten Twice Through the Heart, („zweimal durchs Herz“), und zwar mit In dreimal drei Abschnitten beleuchtet der gleichen Direktheit, wie sie dem Titel „die Frau“ (die ursprünglich einen Namen eignet. Die Dichtung von Jackie Kay geht hatte, aber dann von Kay und Turnage ihrer in einer geradlinigen, unlyrischen Weise Identität beraubt wurde, um „größere weiter - „alltäglich - fast schon banal“, wie Distanz“ zu erzielen) verschiedene Aspekte Kay es ausdrückt. Es geht um eine Ehefrau, ihrer traurigen Lage. Sie tut dies in freiem die nach Jahren seelischer und körperlicher Erzählfluss in der ersten Person Singular, der an eine Gesprächstherapie denken lässt; Kay einsetzt), und es gibt lyrische Passagen, spricht von ihrer „imaginierten Stimme“. Den die an Alban Bergs Oper Wozzeck denken Torturen zum Trotz, unter denen die Frau zu lassen, die ja auch den Ehegattenmord leiden hat, hat sie sich einen Rest Liebe zu thematisiert. Ebenfalls an Berg erinnert die ihrem Ehemann bewahrt, und dieses Gefühl quasi durchsichtige Instrumentierung, vor scheint immer wieder auf und wirkt auf den allem gegen Ende des Stücks. Die vorwiegend Hörer verstörender als ihre verständliche tiefe Instrumentierung ist streckenweise Wut und Angst. Das im Titel genannte dünn wie eine Gefängnismatratze, dann „Herz“ kann anatomisch und emotional wieder breit und bedrohlich oder üppig und verstanden werden, wenn die Frau sich ihres sehr emotional. Spöttische Themen tauchen ehelichen Glücks und ihrer Loyalität erinnert. auf und setzen sich im Ohr fest, während die Turnages Musik liefert einen emotionalen reinen Orchesterpassagen etwas von jener Subtext zur Rede der Frau. Ganz wie sie, ist zarten, poetischen Empfindsamkeit haben, die die Musik kaum je heftig oder hysterisch, Kays Text bewusst vermeidet. Diesen Text hat spiegelt aber die klaustrophobischen Turnage komplett übernommen; im übrigen Empfindungen der Frau während ihres wurde er im Rahmen diverser Workshops vor Ehegefängnisses sowie während ihres realen der Uraufführung gründlich überarbeitet. Gefängnisaufenthalts wider. Das Werk So sensibel und aufmerksam behandelt beginnt mit einer strengen Klangkaskade, Turnage den Text, dass gelegentlich die Musik die an das Herabsenken eines Gefängnis- fast verstummt; jedes einzelne Wort ist so Fallgatters gemahnt - quasi als Gegenentwurf klar verständlich, als wäre es gesprochen. zum Heraufziehen eines Bühnenvorhangs. Um so überraschender ist es, dass Turnage 1997 schrieb Turnage, dass die Arbeit an das Komponieren für Stimme als besondere diesem Werk „schwieriger war als alles Herausforderung empfindet: „Vokalmusik andere, was ich je gemacht habe“. Dennoch zu schreiben finde ich schwierig... aber nach gehört Twice Through the Heart zu den meiner Meinung ist Gerald Finley weit und bemerkenswertesten Schöpfungen Turnages breit der beste Bariton, den es gibt, und in seinem vierten Lebensjahrzehnt, in das machte die Arbeit für mich einfacher.“ dem auch Blood on the Floor und Scorched So Turnage vor der Londoner Premiere entstanden. Gewisse Besonderheiten seines Liederzyklus’ The Torn Fields („die finden sich immer wieder: So erklingen in zerrissenen Felder“), am 6. Oktober 2004 den Holz- und Blechbläsern Hilferufe mit (die Welturaufführung fand zwei Jahre zuvor spürbarem Blues-Charakter (auch wenn bei den Berliner Festspielen in derselben Turnage normalerweise kein Saxophon Besetzung statt, mit den Auftraggebern des Werkes, der Birmingham Contemporary dramatische Episoden, wie z. B. die Music Group, und Gerald Finley). Für Finley galoppierenden Instrumentalattacken, die konzipierte Turnage auch die Rolle des den Sänger in Rosenbergs No More Jokes in Harry Heegan in seiner im Ersten Weltkrieg die Enge treiben, oder die fahlen Jazztänze spielenden Oper The Silver Tassie. Es gibt eine (auf vibratolosen Streichern und ), Verbindung zwischen dieser Oper und The oder, in Owens Disabled, die kraftlosen Torn Fields, denn Wilfred Owens Gedicht Fanfaren, die die verlorene „gute alte Zeit“ des Wounded, das sich im vierten Satz findet, schwerverletzten Überlebenden evozieren. war die Vorlage für das Originalstück. Und doch dominiert immer der Text. In Turnages Vertonung der Verse von Charles The Torn Fields erscheint weniger spontan Sorley, der vorwärtstaumelnden „blassen und impulsiv als Twice Through the Heart. Bataillone“ von Toten ohne Münder, gähnen Den Rahmen des Stücks bilden zwei unverhüllt die schmerzvollen Wahrheiten blutarme, rätselhafte Fanfaren aus einer des Textes, und nur gelegentlich zeigen alptraumhaften, unbegreiflichen Welt, das die Holzbläser ironischen Zorn. Im letzten Herzstück fünf Vertonungen von Gedichten Satz transzendiert der lyrische Gesang des zum Ersten Weltkrieg mit heftigen Angriffen Baritons den Tumult nach Art von Siegfried auf die Verluste, die der Krieg mit sich bringt, Sassoons Gedicht. Die Instrumente bemühen oft versetzt mit einem bitteren, kritischen sich, ihm zu folgen und sich in Dur-Farben Witz. Vor einem Hintergrund von tiefen himmelwärts hinaufzuwinden, soweit dies Streichern erhebt sich die Stimme des Solisten die erneut erklingenden Fanfaren zulassen zunächst in einem einsamen, schwermütigen - aber es scheint, dass sie es nicht schaffen, Summen, das vom Fagott begleitet wird. Wir den rettenden Hafen zu erreichen, im sind hier in einer ganz anderen Welt als beim Gegensatz zu den „eingesperrten Vögeln scharfen, federnden Beginn von Twice Through in Freiheit“, von denen der Sänger singt. the Heart. Obwohl Turnages musikalische Landschaft oft scharfkantig und lyrisch wirkt 2005 wurde Turnage zum „Composer wie bei Twice Through the Heart, schildert in Residence“ des London Philharmonic er in The Torn Fields eher die seltsame, Orchestra ernannt, und das erste Werk, fremdartige Welt anonymen Tötens als den das im Rahmen dieser Zusammenarbeit „alltäglichen“ Mord an einer konkreten Person. entstand, war Hidden Love Song („verborgenes Liebeslied“), ein kurzes „“ Hierfür setzt Turnage einen größeren für Sopransaxophon und Kammerorchester Orchesterapparat ein, inklusive inkl. Cembalo. Der Auftrag kam vom Sopransaxophon. Es gibt lebhafte, Orchester gemeinsam mit Partnern aus Norwegen und Deutschland. Turnage hatte bei der Niederschrift zwei Künstler im Sinn: einmal seinen guten Freund, den Saxophonisten Martin Robertson, für den Turnage schon häufig geschrieben hatte, und zum anderen die Musikerin Gabriella Swallow, seine damalige Verlobte und heutige Ehefrau. Das Werk arbeitet mit den verwendbaren Buchstaben aus dem Namen Gabriella (G-A-B-E-A-S-A, wobei das S für Es steht). Dieses Thema steht am Beginn der Komposition und taucht später wieder auf. Trotz seines Charakters ist auch diese Musik, eher ein Wiegendlied als eine Rhapsodie, nicht völlig frei von der Melancholie der anderen Stücke (was für Turnage durchaus charakteristisch ist). Zum Saxophon gesellt sich - weniger in einer leidenschaftlichen Umarmung als vielmehr in einer rührenden Geste vertrauten Verstehens - immer wieder das Cello, Gabriellas Instrument. Turnages Behandlung der Holzbläser ist von der gleichen Sensitivität geprägt wie sein Umgang mit der menschlichen Stimme. In Hidden Love Song drückt sich die Liebe - und das scheint das angemessene Vorgehen - abstrakt allein durch die Instrumente aus. Die Gefühle entspringen dem Komponisten selbst, und letztlich scheinen sie gar nicht so verborgen (hidden) zu sein.

Andrew Mellor Übersetzung Martina Gottschau Sarah Connolly Martin Robertson mezzo-sopran sopransaxophon

Sarah Connolly studierte am Royal College Martin Robertson studierte Klarinette und of Music und feiert internationale Erfolge Saxophon am Royal College of Music und gilt auf der Opernbühne, im Konzertsaal und heute als einer der führenden Saxophonisten, mit Liederabenden. Zu hören war sie in den wobei er ein besonderes Interesse für Titelrollen von Purcells Dido and Aeneas (La zeitgenössische Musik entwickelt hat und Scala), Händels Giulio Cesare (Glyndebourne) eine enge künstlerische Beziehung zu Mark- und Glucks Orfeo (Bayerische Staatsoper, Anthony Turnage pflegt, der für ihn eine München), dazu als Annio in Mozarts La ganze Reihe von Werken geschrieben hat. Mit Clemenza di Tito (Metropolitan Opera), Sesto Turnages Sarabande debütierte er 1986 als (ebenfalls La Clemenza, nominiert für einen Solist im Purcell Room, woraufhin Turnage für Olivier Award), Dido (in Berlioz’ Les Troyens), ihn Rockaby komponierte. Martin Robertson Susie (in Turnages The Silver Tassie) und in ist in der ganzen Welt aufgetreten, mit den Titelrollen von Händels Agrippina, Xerxes Klangkörpern wie dem London Philharmonic und Ariodante (alle an der English National Orchestra, den Philharmonikern von Los Opera). Sarah Connolly tritt weltweit in Angeles, Hamburg und Tampere, mit dem City Konzerthallen und bei Festspielen auf und of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, dem BBC hat sich auch die Förderung neuer Musik zur Symphony und Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Aufgabe gemacht, wovon ihre Mitwirkung und dem Ensemble Modern. Weiterhin war bei Welturaufführungen von Werken von er bei den Festivals von Tanglewood und Mark-Anthony Turnage, Jonathan Harvey und Umea und mehrfach bei den BBC Proms zu Sir John Tavener Zeugnis ablegt. Die Künstlerin hören. Der Künstler überschreitet mühelos ist auf zahlreichen CDs zu hören, die bei alle Genregrenzen zwischen klassicher Harmonia Mundi, Deutsche Grammophon, Musik, Jazz und Weltmusik und spielt auch Erato und Naxos erschienen sind. Zudem ist Holzblasinstrumente fremder Kulturen, sie als Solistin in John Taveners Soundtrack wie Taragato oder Duduk. Mit ihm sind zu dem Film Children of Men zu hören. viele CDs und Filme erschienen; so wirkte er bei den Soundtracks von bedeutenden Filmen wie Billy Elliot, Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin und Earth mit. Gerald Finley bariton Marin Alsop dirigentin

Der kanadische Bariton Gerald Finley war Die New Yorkerin Marin Alsop studierte in Yale zunächst Chorknabe in Ottawa und sang und an der Juilliard School. 2007 wurde sie zum später im Chor des King’s College Cambridge. Music Director des Baltimore Symphony Er studierte am Royal College of Music Orchestra ernannt und war damit die erste Frau und am National Opera Studio. Eine enge an der Spitze eines der großen amerikanischen Zusammenarbeit verbindet ihn mit dem Klangkörper. Im selben Jahr startete sie in ihre Komponisten Mark-Anthony Turnage. Seine fünfte und letzte Saison als Chefdirigentin des Opernkarriere begann er mit Mozart-Rollen englischen Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. in Glyndebourne; inzwischen ist er auf Sie gehört zu den wenigen Dirigenten, die Opernbühnen in der ganzen Welt zu hören. regelmäßig sowohl am Pult des London Regelmäßig ist er am Symphony als auch des London Philharmonic Covent Garden zu Gast. Dort war er zu Orchestra stehen. Daneben dirigiert sie immer hören als Graf (Le nozze di Figaro), Golaud wieder prestigeträchtige Orchester wie das (Pelléas et Mélisande), Förster (Das schlaue Philadelphia Orchestra, das Chicago Symphony Füchslein), Germont (La Traviata) und in der oder die Philharmoniker von Los Angeles und Titelrolle von Don Giovanni. Gerald Finley ist New York. Zwölf Jahre lang war sie Music ein bedeutender Interpret zeitgenössischer Director des Colorado Symphony, das sie auch Musik. Er war bei den Uraufführungen von zu seiner Ehrendirigentin erhoben hat. Seit Mark-Anthony Turnages The Silver Tassie 1991 ist sie auch Music Director des Cabrillo (als Harry Heegan), John Adams’ Doctor Festival of Contemporary Music in Kalifornien. Atomic (als J. Robert Oppenheimer), Kaija Für Naxos hat sie die Brahms-Symphonien mit Saariahos L’amour de loin (als Jaufre Rudel) dem London Philharmonic Orchestra and Tobias Picker’s Fantastic Mr Fox (als Mr. eingespielt; für dasselbe Label hat sie auch CDs Fox) dabei. Von Gerald Finley liegen diverse mit dem Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Schallplatteneinspielungen vor, mit Dirigenten aufgenommen. Sie ist die erste Künstlerin, der wie Sir Simon Rattle, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, im selben Jahr sowohl der Gramophone’s Artist Christopher Hogwood, Richard Hickox und of the Year Award als auch der Royal Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Für seine bei CBS und Philharmonic Society’s Conductor Award Hyperion erschienenen Liedaufnahmen wurde zuerkannt wurde. Seit 2005 zählt sie zur er mit wichtigen Preisen ausgezeichnet. erlauchten Schar der MacArthur Fellows; in dieser Vereinigung amerikanischer Denker und Künstler ist sie die erste Dirigentenpersönlichkeit überhaupt. Mark-Anthony Turnage b.1960

29:46 Twice Through the Heart Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano

01 03:11 No Way Out 02 03:18 Inside (part 1) 03 03:51 Love 04 02:20 By the Sea 05 02:58 Inside (part 2) 06 02:14 Four Walls 07 00:57 Interlude 08 06:02 Landslide 09 04:51 China Cup

10 10:24 Hidden Love Song Martin Robertson soprano saxophone

26:02 The Torn Fields Gerald Finley baritone

11 01:46 Prologue 12 02:47 Loss 13 02:32 No More Jokes 14 09:48 Wounded 15 02:18 Interlude 16 03:38 The Mouthless Dead 17 03:10 Aftermath

MARIN ALSOP conductor LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Pieter Schoeman leader

LPO – 0031