Quintet for Eb Alto Saxophone and String Quartet
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his recording contains work As Eric Gross had written written for me over the past works for me to play in 9 years. Each work was London during 1976 and T later in Europe, I suggested composed for a specific occasion, the idea of the likelihood of a all of them (except “Journeys” work for this particular type by Barry Conyngham) were of ensemble. In his usual written to be part of important enthusiastic manner, Eric overseas engagements. The music took up the challenge, and reflects a close collaboration with certainly succeeded. At first there were a number the composers in an attempt of unsuccessful attempts to produce more worthwhile to perform it in Australia, Australian clarinet and saxophone as few established quartets music. were willing to perform The only disappointing feature anything other than their of these attempts is the lack standard repertoire. So the first performance was of any facility in Australia to given in Germany in 1982 publish the music, such as an with a string quartet from organization like Donemus in Munich. These performances Holland. Because of the many were received with great requests for copies of the music – enthusiasm by the German particularly overseas – numerous audiences. Shortly afterwards the Petra Quartet agreed unsuccessful attempts were made to record it, and they to find publishers both within and approached it with their usual outside Australia. As the result, artistic enthusiasm. The work this recording is a means of certainly demonstrates the keeping the music alive, and the composer’s craftsmanship only published documentation of and it is hoped that more live Quintet for Eb Alto Saxophone performances can be given of a very worthwhile set of musical the work in the near future. collaborations. and String Quartet op. 102 by Eric Gross (Pub. Leeds) Allegro; Lento Ma quasi Rubato; Allegro Petra String Quartet Introspections for Saxophone Finale from Suite for people like Peter Fraser in Adelaide, and many others). My own early attempts and Prepared Tape Saxophone Quartet failed. When the quartet, as constituted by Geoffrey D’Ombrain and Peter Clinch by William Lovelock (1976) on this recording, performed the entire The Peter Clinch Saxophone Quartet work in the USA during 1985, we Geoffrey and I worked very closely Soprano Saxophone – Peter Clinch received overwhelming encouragement together at the Melbourne College Alto Saxophone – Tony Hicks Tenor from the American audiences – it has of Advanced Education and we Saxophone – Mark Franklin Baritone the potential of becoming the first major collaborated on many artistic ventures. Saxophone – Ian Godfrey Australian Saxophone Quartet. I found him to be one of the few people who could handle This work was my the electronic music first major attempt to medium in a realistic build a repertoire of and artistic manner. important Australian Much of our work compositions for the together had involved Saxophone quartet. The live electronics and ragtime. type thematic free improvisation. material and the When I was invited to complex contrapuntal give a recital in London writing makes this in 1976, I found myself a little short on finale appealing to Australian works, so I decided to write both audience and something myself. After sketching the performer. piece and writing the saxophone part It is interesting with a graphic type accompaniment, to note that the time ran out. Several weeks before saxophone in Australia the time to leave Geoff agreed to work has a long history. with me on realising the graphics as an Apart from the very electronic accompaniment. fine jazz saxophonists I performed it several times and it that enjoy international was received most enthusiastically. recognition, the In London, Marcel Mule (one of the saxophone ensemble world’s greatest saxophonists and was active under people teachers) complimented me after the like Dave Howard in Perth during the performance, saying it was one of the late 1930s. However, the few attempts best works he had heard in the genre. to organize a first class saxophone Since then it has been played in many quartet as a lasting ensemble has not parts of the world by other saxophonists. been achieved (recognizing the work of Three Sketches for Clarinet and Piano by William Lovelock Prelude: Valsette; Scherzo. Piano: Nehama Patkin My association with William Lovelock began during 1973, when Sir Frank Callaway commissioned the Saxophone Concerto from Dr. Lovelock for me to perform in France. We met during the first performance of his Concerto with Verdon Williams conducting the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and this sparked off a close association that has resulted in the commissioning of several very fine works for clarinet and saxophone. William Lovelock dedicated “Three Sketches for Clarinet and Piano” to me in appreciation for promoting his music in my performances in Europe. I was obviously flattered by this, but of course I was naturally pleased to include his music in my programs as they were works. Even though he wrote them for always well received by audiences both “easy listening”, there is enough musical in Australia and overseas. These three depth and technical requirement to gain pieces were particularly well received the constant interest of both performer when I performed them in London and listener alike. during the summer of 1984. Originally there were four sketches, but unfortunately one of my students mislaid the slow movement Pastorale – so they appear now on this recording as “Three Sketches”. They don’t exhibit the often complex contrapuntal writing that is contained in much of Lovelock’s the four loud speakers – this is where the piece gained its name as the performer is required to ‘journey” throughout the auditorium space and perform on each instrument. Unfortunately the “music theatre” effect that is produced in a live performance can never be realised on a recording of this kind. Though most of the “solo performer’s” music was written out in some detail by the composer, a great deal of the aesthetic delivery of the piece is left to the performer by means of movement and a certain amount of improvisation. It was a most satisfying work to perform. NOTES: PETER CLINCH Journeys for Solo Performer and Computer Tape by Barry Conyngham (1980) This is the only work on the recording that has not been performed outside Australia. It was composed to be performed as part of a conference on computer use, which was held in r. Peter G. Clinch made his first Melbourne during 1980. Sounds on all solo appearances on clarinet and four instruments were pre-recorded and Dsaxophone for the Australian treated in a sophisticated manner by the Broadcasting Commission at a very computer under the very able direction early age. Before he was 20 years old of the composer. The original tape was he had gained an outstanding reputation produced in quadraphonic sound, and for his performances with opera, ballet played back into the auditorium through and symphonic orchestras, as well as four loud speakers, each placed in the chamber and jazz ensembles, often as four corners of the auditorium. The four a soloist. Peter Clinch’s talents also instruments played by the soloist were encompass arranging, composing and placed in varying positions adjacent to conducting, and at one point in his career he played principal solo clarinet Quintet for Eb Alto Saxophone and in the Royal Australian Air Force Central String Quartet Band and for 10 years was Principal Op. 102 clarinettist with a TV studio orchestra (Eric Gross) in Melbourne. Among his many music Allegro 5’24” activities he regularly toured overseas Lento Ma quasi Rubato 6’16” as a soloist end with the Australian Allegro 7’53” composer Felix Werder’s contemporary ensemble – Australia Felix. He played Introspections for Saxophone and with nearly every symphony orchestra Prepared Tape in Australia as a clarinettist and was (Geoffrey D’Ombrain / Peter Clinch) featured regularly as a soloist. 3’37” At the time of this recording he was Head of Department of Music at Finale from Suite for Saxophone the Melbourne College of Advanced Quartet Education, and received a Doctorate (William Lovelock) 2’12” in Musical Acoustics at Monash University. His name is found in several Three Sketches for Clarinet and Piano Who’s Who, including the International (William Lovelock) Who’s Who in Music and Who’s Who Prelude 3’06” in the Commonwealth and has won Valsette 2’20” several prestigious awards such as the Journeys: produced in the studios of the Scherzo 2’25” Spivakovsky award for composition. He Australian Broadcasting Corporation by died in 1995. Judith Wilke, November 1980. (Analog Journeys for Solo Performer and recording) Computer Tape (Barry Conyngham) 11’48” Introspections: recorded at Melbourne State College. (dbx analog recording) The production of this recording has been assisted by the Music Board of the Quintet: recorded at the Tasmanian Australia Council. Conservatorium of Music, April 1983. (Analog recording) Cover photo: Howard Birnstihl Three Sketches and the finale from the P 1987 MOVE RECORDS Suite: recorded by Move Records in move.com.au 1984. (Sony digital recording).