INTERNATIONAL Sir Karl Jenkins Music That Moves But, says Jenkins, breaking barriers Sir Karl Jenkins returns to the NCPA to or being novel for the sake of it isn’t lead the Symphony Orchestra of India at necessarily an ideal that he chases. “I don’t aim to please people. Even if the Indian premiere of his exciting new I did, I could never guess what they composition, The Universe. The celebrated like. I’m true to myself and the style that I write, and it does happen to Welsh composer and conductor talks to communicate with people – which Beverly Pereira about his genre-defying is my greatest aim, really.” classical music A human connect It is understandable why his shows are always packed houses. In 1999, or a composer formally interpolation of musical elements. Jenkins, who holds a doctorate trained in Western Requiem (2005) integrates in music from the University of classical music, Sir Karl Japanese death poems with Wales, was commissioned to Jenkins isn’t one to shy the movements of the Catholic write The Armed Man – A Mass for away from embracing Requiem, or mass for the souls Peace, an anti-war composition other musical genres. of the dead, and is performed by that premiered in the year 2000. FWhile classical music does form a choir and an orchestra with a It includes excerpts from the the basis of his compositions, his Japanese bamboo flute called Mahabharata, the Bible and the work straddles the far-removed the shakuhachi thrown into the Islamic call to prayer, interspersed worlds of folk, jazz and world unlikely mix. with texts by Rudyard Kipling and music. The quena, an ethnic wind On his first trip to India, in Japanese poet Sankichi Toge, a instrument from the Andes, makes 2009, Jenkins had worked with survivor of the Hiroshima bombing. sporadic appearances alongside the Symphony Orchestra of India “It’s a work that’s important orchestras and choirs in some of (SOI) to present Adiemus: Songs to me because its message is his works. Using what he calls an of Sanctuary, and Sarikiz, one universal,” he says. The Armed “invented language”, his pieces of the many violin concertos he Man has since been performed harness the power of vocals as an has written for virtuoso violinist 2,100 times, officially making it instrumental sound rather than and SOI music director Marat the most performed piece by a as a means to depict an obvious Bisengaliev. “Working with the SOI living composer in the 21st century. narrative. His widely acclaimed was wonderful. Marat suggested Above all, it explains how strikingly Adiemus project (1995), a series that we use the bansuri instead relevant, enduring and accessible of seven albums written through of the quena for a special Indian Jenkins’s music is today. the lens of different cultures, is sound.” It was a show that gave the Cantata Memoria, his choral FRAMPTON an apt example of this seamless audience a taste of something new. work that premiered last year, RHYS 10 • September 2017 NCPA also remains close to his ever written, say, by Bach Marat heart. It was commissioned Bisengaliev or Mozart, would have been to commemorate the 50th commissioned by a church and anniversary of a tragic court, respectively. Bach wrote incident that took place in 200 cantatas for the church in 1966 in his hometown of a span of two years – one or Wales, where a coal spoil more for every Sunday. So tip enveloped a school and you have a deadline and you houses in the village of have to fulfil it. You need to Aberfan, killing 116 children sit down and start composing and 28 adults. “The purpose and working on ideas. If you of my music is to make an just wait for the mill to strike, emotional connection with as it were, you might never get people and to move them. started.” It’s meant to go straight to With such a busy schedule, their heart and soul. It’s humbling what music does he listen to in his to know that my music has made a free time? “I write so much music difference in the lives of those who on most days that I don’t have are bereaved or have had a death in “I have never the inclination to want to listen to the family.” music very much. I just want some come across rest and respite from it at times,” The best of both worlds he explains. He does admit that his Jenkins grew up in a musical anything as go-to leisurely listens include works household, where his father, a by classical greats such as Mozart, schoolteacher and church organist, unique as this Mahler, Wagner and Strauss; jazz taught him to play the piano. He musicians like Miles Davis; and learned the oboe at school, but piece, which American bands like Steely Dan. was also drawn to the local choral The next piece that he will work tradition that was flourishing at the tells the story of on will touch upon the Miserere time. His teenage years were spent psalm, which deals with suffering. immersed in the heady world of the creation of “The subject of this piece will be in jazz, after which he studied music relation to what is happening in the at Cardiff University and the Royal the universe” world today, like the refugee crisis Academy of Music, London. In the and what’s happening to mankind.” early part of his career, Jenkins was Earlier this year, Bisengaliev known as a reputed jazz and jazz- commissioned Jenkins to write rock musician, playing with Ronnie Jenkins became a full-fledged The Universe for the Expo 2017 in Scott’s band in the 1960s before composer. In the last two decades, Astana, Kazakhstan. Describing this joining the seminal progressive- he has won numerous awards, held composition as music filled with rock band Soft Machine in 1972. fellowships and professorships at fantasy, Jenkins says, “It comprises Then, he achieved grand universities and collaborated with 14 pieces with references to the success in the field of advertising, notable musicians. He has also universe and the four elements of composing iconic music for brands released chart-topping albums, nature. It starts off with a spatial such as British Airways, Delta established ‘The Arts Club – Sir piece called Infinity that moves Airlines, Renault, De Beers and Karl Jenkins Award’ for young on to some swooping runs by Levi’s. Jenkins, who took home the musicians, and was honoured the orchestra in the piece titled industry prize in the field twice, says, with a knighthood by the Queen Shooting Stars. Among others, “When I was doing this in London of England. In between, he also we have the Moon Walk, which is in the 1980s, there were many fine penned down an autobiography a quirky, mysterious composition, directors, like Ridley and Tony Scott, and scored a Kiefer Sutherland film. and the Song of Tears for the natural Hugh Hudson and Alan Parker, who His recorded output has resulted in element of water.” Bisengaliev, who went on to become legendary 17 gold and platinum disc awards, has worked closely with Jenkins movie directors. The production while his works continue to be on several occasions, says, “I have values were high, and so it was like widely performed by orchestras never come across anything as writing mini-film scores. I also learnt and choral groups across the world. unique as this piece, which tells a lot about ethnic instruments. the story of the creation of the One day I’d be composing classical On the creative process universe.” music for a symphony orchestra, Jenkins does not believe in waiting the next day it would be for a sitar.” for inspiration to descend. “Well, Karl Jenkins’s The Universe will All these diverse musical influences I do get inspired, but only once I be performed on 22nd and 23rd culminated in the creation of the start working. To use a Western September at the Jamshed Bhabha Adiemus project in 1995, after which analogy, some of the greatest music Theatre. 12 • September 2017 NCPA.