Australian Piano Music
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Michael Kieran Harvey Collection Australian Piano Music rabibday Nigel Westlake (b.1958) Piano Sonata No. 1 (1998) (14’57”) 1 Fast 5’31” 2 Slow 5’37” 3 Very fast 3’54” Lawrence Whiffin (b.1930) Sonata for Piano, Mechanical Mirrors (1999) (16’24”) 4 Allegro moderato ma con fuoco 5’04” 5 Adagio 5’17” 6 Turbulent 2’50” 7 Tempo di marcia moderato 3’18” Kate Tempany (b.1967) The Promise of Water (2003) (8’32”) 8 Cantabile 3’05” 9 Boulders 2’18” 10 Widening ripples 3’14” Tim Dargaville (b.1962) Negra I for piano solo (1999) (19’13”) 11 Dynamic 2’56” 12 Still 4’07” 13 Quick 6’05” 14 Still 6’09” Michael Kieran Harvey (b.1961) 15 Pink Nautilus (2003) 3’23” Carl Vine (b.1954) 16 Rash (1997) 3’11” Kate Neal (b.1972) 17 Rabid Bay (2004) 9’49” P 2004 MOVE RECORDS … FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RECORDINGS BY MICHAEL KIERAN HARVEY VISIT move.com.au Michael Kieran Harvey is one of the foremost interpreters of contemporary piano music of his generation. A champion of Australian music and himself a composer, he regularly commissions new Australian music and has performed Australian music with Australia’s leading contemporary music ensembles and orchestras. This recording presents some of Australia’s cutting edge piano music — bold and experimental, but also increasingly lyrical. “I have developed close relationships with all the composers involved over the years. They represent an exciting younger generation of Australian composers. All are developing ways to address the question of fine art music and technology and acoustic instruments in this new century. They display an irresistable energy which in performance is communicated to a broad range of ages.” Michael Kieran Harvey Nigel Westlake (b. 1958) the slow movement, which is a beautiful Chamber Music concert in Elm Street, exploration of sonorities, the questing North Melbourne in September 2001 and Piano Sonata No. 1 (1998) nature of the composer’s intelligence is he has since then played the work in clear – and highly exciting.” different venues throughout Australia. Piano Sonata was commissioned by Laurie Strachan / Sydney Morning Herald / “Whiffin’s Sonata for Piano, Mechanical Michael Kieran Harvey and was premiered January 1998 Mirrors … [finds] Michael Kieran Harvey by him at the 1998 Sydney Festival. It in searing, juggernaut mode …” Clive was awarded the Jean Bogan Memorial O’Connell / Melbourne Age / 25 September Prize for Composition at the Newcastle Lawrence Whiffin (b.1930) 2002 Conservatorium, New South Wales that year and was presented to the International Sonata for Piano, Rostrum of Composers by the ABC in 2000. Mechanical Mirrors (1999) Kate Tempany (b.1967) “In one very tight sweep, there are three easily discernible sections – The sonata Mechanical Mirrors is a The Promise of Water fast, slow, very fast. The language is four movement work contracted into (2003) polychromatic and highly original. The one continuous movement. The first most striking characteristics lie in the section Allegro moderato ma con fuoco is Inspired by the remembrance of the surprising lyricism of the slow movement, followed by a number of transitional ideas composer’s brother, this vividly gestural and in the relentless rhythmic energy culminating in a series of glissandi which piece is about an inwards journey of the of the surrounding sections. The outer bring back the opening material. The soul. Centrally concerned with issues movements have a volatility that pays second section, Adagio, is a theme and of flow, turbulence and continuity, the testament to the composer’s strong variations, slow and contemplative at first large scale design is an elaboration of background in fusion/percussion music.” then doubling its speed by a process of kinaesthetic imagery from the opening bars Michael Kieran Harvey halving the note values then halving them of the piece. “Westlake has been busy, and highly again. The ever-increasing momentum There are four distinct sections to the successful, writing the film scores for the leads directly to a turbulent third section. work: the opening Cantabile, with its Babe films and there was every reason The fourth section, Tempo di marcia interweaving melismatic lines inspired to fear he might be lost to the low-return moderato, again in accelerando, concludes by Indian rhythmic talas; Boulders, business of cutting edge music. Quite with a fortissimo climax and final coda characterised by dense, agonised clusters; a the opposite seems to be the case, for that includes flashbacks to the first two short Transition to Coda of suspended right his Piano Sonata is an emphatic rejection sections. hand octaves; and the Coda - Widening of the middle-of-the-road populism of Michael Kieran Harvey’s first Ripples, a fragmentation and blurring of the movie music. It begins with tumultuous performance of Sonata for Piano, opening lines leading to a serene modal dissonances and steadily works its way Mechanical Mirrors, was in April 2001 in conclusion. towards the kind of rhythmic propulsion the North Melbourne Town Hall as part The Promise of Water was premiered by for which Westlake’s music is renowned; of the Melbourne Autumn Music Festival. Michael Kieran Harvey at the University of but it never gets too comfortable. Even in His second performance was at the Astra Western Australia New Music Festival in 2003. Tim Dargaville (b.1962) including Michael Kieran Harvey, Graeme John and Jerry Lee Lewis.” Leak, and the Australian Virtuosi, the Keith Gallasch / Real Time / Queensland Negra I for piano solo complete cycle transforms material from Biennal Festival of Music / July 2001 (1999) Negra I into formats for solo percussion (Negra II), piano and percussion (Negra Michael Kieran Harvey (b.1961) Negra I was written specifically with III) and 2 pianos and 2 percussionists Michael Kieran Harvey’s dynamism (Negra IV, which was nominated for a 2000 Pink Nautilus (2003) and dazzling virtuosity in mind. The Sounds Australian Award for best new composition has since been acknowledged composition). This work was composed in early 2003 for as a major new work, winning the 1999 “Pregnant with African/Indian various combinations of instruments but is Jean Bogan Prize – Australia’s richest influences, this throbbing, syncopated, presented here as a solo piano etude. The award for piano composition. It has been frenetically rhythmic piece stole the show. repetitive performed to acclaim both nationally At times loud and boisterous, its formal nature of the writing is due to the original and internationally at prestigious events cohesion made it the most thoroughly function of the piece which was intended including the 2000 Rotterdam Bach satisfying of the contemporary works. The as an appropriate vehicle for a night club Festival (The Netherlands) and the 2001 performance was masterly, climaxing in a situation. The premiere performance was Queensland Biennale Festival of Music. fury of flying fingers, then dropping back in May 2003 in the Black Cat The composer writes: to a haunting finish.” nightclub, Melbourne, in a version for “On one level Negra I draws from my David Wood / Real Time / Queensland electronics and amplified piano. experience of studying and performing Biennal Festival of Music / The musical language explores an traditional West African percussion music. July 2001 interaction between rock-inspired ostinati I have utilized characteristic melodic, “Tim Dargaville’s ecstatic tour de force, and Fibonacci-derived harmonies and rhythmic and formal structures as a means Negra, is a substantial new work…” rhythmic motives. Formally it is much like of creating a surging rhythmic flow, Xenia Hanusiak / Herald-Sun / 28 a classical rondo, with a repeated octave burying them in the music rather than November 2000 climax occurring at the 5:8 proportional quoting them. On another level Negra I is “The work that lights up an already mark. The idea came after hearing a highly personal response to the first stage enthusiastic audience is Tim Dargaville’s imaginary overtones in the so-called “pink” of alchemical symbolism (nigredo – chaos, Negra. Kieran Harvey notes its African noise generated by my computer. transformation of base matter) and aims references, gospel influences, Indian to translate these notions into an intense rhythms and distinctive recurrent note row. Carl Vine (b.1954) sonic meditation, demanding the utmost of To my ears this is a great pulsing ragtime the performer.” fantasia, always hinting at but refusing Rash (1997) Negra I is the first of the Negra cycle – a Joplinesque melody, driven by a pounding, series of 4 interconnected works involving rhythmically familiar left hand style pitted rash: ( ræƒ ) varying combinations of piano and against constellations of upper end trills 1. adj. acting without due consideration or percussion instruments. Commissioned for played at astonishing speed. At times it thought; impetuous. major Australian contemporary musicians sounds like a virtuosic cross between Dr 2. n. a skin eruption. This short work for CD playback and Nigel Westlake commenced his career in solo piano was written as a humorous music some 30 years ago as a freelance gift for Michael Kieran Harvey in 1997 clarinetist, performing with numerous who had been haranguing the composer orchestras and chamber ensembles. In unsuccessfully for a satirical disco piece for 1983 he studied contemporary music some time. in Amsterdam, specializing in the bass clarinet with Harry Sparnaay. Between Kate Neal (b.1972) 1985 and 1992 he was part of The Australia Ensemble and toured extensively with Rabid Bay (2004) them throughout Australia and the world. In 1992 he was invited to join guitarist John Rabid Bay was premiered in February 2004 William’s group Attacca as a writer and and was composed for, and dedicated to performer for tours of Australia and the Michael Kieran Harvey. It is a work fuelled UK. and inspired by be-bop, anger, Dutch As a composer he is largely self taught, music and joy.