Danny Elfman Violin Concerto “ Eleven Eleven” Royal Scottish National Orchestra John Mauceri | Sandy Cameron
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DANNY ELFMAN VIOLIN CONCERTO “ ELEVEN ELEVEN” ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA JOHN MAUCERI | SANDY CAMERON PIANO QUARTET | PHILHARMONIC PIANO QUARTET BERLIN DANNY ELFMAN VIOLIN CONCERTO “ELEVEN ELEVEN” 1 I. GRAVE. ANIMATO 14:06 2 II. SPIETATO 10:25 3 III. FANTASMA 9:33 4 IV. GIOCOSO. LACRIMAE 10:12 SANDY CAMERON violin ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCHESTRA JOHN MAUCERI conductor 3 PIANO QUARTET 5 I. EIN DING 6:29 6 II. KINDERSPOTT 4:50 7 III. DUETT FÜR VIER 3:30 8 IV. RUHIG 1:40 9 V. DIE WOLFSJUNGEN 4:13 PHILHARMONIC PIANO QUARTET BERLIN ANDREAS BUSCHATZ violin · MATTHEW HUNTER viola KNUT WEBER cello · MARKUS GROH piano I’VE ALWAYS BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH THE NUMBER ELEVEN. MOST PEOPLE somewhat better grasp of – or perhaps and day. I dove in listening to a huge This provided a chance for me to try KNOW ME AS A some chamber work I’d been thinking variety, trying to understand different out some of my personal stylistic the- FILM COMPOSER. about… violin concerto forms and what would ories. As I was touring the world with be expected from me. I began as I film music concerts, I became more ELFMAN Then the opportunity came up in an always begin, by looking for inspira- and more aware that there seemed unexpected way. After a concert in tion and instruction from some of the to be, at least to some extent, sepa- A few years ago I came to the conclu- Prague of my Music from the Films classical composers I love most (hint: rate audiences for film music and for DANNY DANNY sion that I didn’t just want to write of Tim Burton, I was approached they’re Russians). I absorbed and stud- classical music. Of course, most great orchestral music totally free from the with the proposal to write an origi- ied. I learned that in my favorite con- 20th-century film music was inspired influence of film, I virtually had to in nal work for Sandy Cameron, who, certos, the writing could and should either directly or indirectly by great order to keep my sanity. that night, had performed a gypsy vi- be quite lively, and that great liberties classical works. So why were these olin cadenza I created for her in the could be taken as long as the soloist’s audiences in large part so divided? Over the last decade I had done several Edward Scissorhands suite. Evidently, instrument is always respected and I set out to write a piece that might non-film concert commissions, and it had gone over very well, and the or- central to everything else. One thing prove challenging to a film music each time I found them to be incred- chestra was interested in an original became abundantly clear: writing fan’s ear, but with enough energy ibly liberating and relieving – like large-scale work that would feature a violin concerto would require far and melody to keep them engaged, opening a pressure valve and letting her as a soloist: a violin concerto. more discipline than anything I had while also being complex and varied out steam that had been building up done previously, and would be even enough for a classical listener’s ear. I 5 for years. I was free from moving This caught me off guard. The violin is, more difficult to execute than I’d wanted to compose something that images, free to let musical ideas run to me, a very intimidating solo instru- imagined. I love difficult. Now I was might bring those ears together. It’s amok. Most importantly, these works ment, and violin concertos were not getting excited. not that I was trying to write some- pushed me to new places far beyond part of my repertoire of classical mu- thing to please everyone, that’s im- my comfort zone. sic listening. So of course I agreed to For an overall concept, I had for some possible; but rather to combine these write one. The challenge was too great years been interested in finding a fu- two worlds, the coalescence of which Finally, I came to the decision that I to pass up. Having no clue what that sion of early 20th-century “post-Ro- is essentially who I am. And above all, would take time off from my film really entailed, I felt that somehow I manticism” – using melody in a lyr- I felt that I needed to incorporate my work to write something for the con- would figure out exactly how to write ical way, as the Russian composers own musical identity, and not to be cert hall every year, for as long as I’m a violin concerto, later… were so adept at doing – with the writing from a place that was com- alive and able. modern rhythms and harmonies of pletely alien to anyone who was fa- late 20th-century music, which I was miliar with my film work. However, having made that decision, THE COMPOSITION raised on as a young man. I was also I had no idea what my next journey a little obsessed with the notion that Coming out of the meeting in Prague, would be. I had imagined something Of course, sooner than expected, “lat- there is still room for a bit of fun and my very first and only thought was symphonic for a full orchestra, or er” arrived. I began to learn the only irreverence in classical composition how interesting it might be to write something perhaps for piano or per- way I knew how: to immerse myself (something Shostakovich and Proko- a cadenza for violin and four percus- cussion – instruments that I have a in a deluge of violin concertos, night fiev taught me). sionists – an idea that intrigued me. As I began to sketch, a form started Writing the violin concerto was a assumed an ancestor of mine was the THE PIANO QUARTET slowly to emerge. I knew the concer- very collaborative process, and Ms. eleventh person to show up for a cer- to would consist of four movements Cameron proved to be a great instruc- emony or service that required a min- Last year, while traveling to Berlin to and there should be a symmetry in tor and guide as to the possibilities imum of ten (a minion), meaning my hear the Berlin Philharmonic per- the overall composition. The first of writing for the violin. She want- ancestor was always late and more or form, I met Knut Weber, one of their and fourth movements would share ed something both emotionally and less unessential. That suited me fine. cellists. He was the one who suggest- thematic material and be the most physically demanding, and I was com- And answered a few questions about ed the possibility of writing a piano Romantically influenced. The second mitted to delivering both. As I wrote my own character. quartet. I was once again faced with and third movements would move the violin parts, she would play them something to explore that I knew ab- in two distinctly different directions for me and often suggest how they So, we counted, and to our amazement solutely nothing about, so of course I stylistically, to create some strong might be improved through various it was exactly 1111 measures long. An immediately agreed. Having only re- contrast (the violin-percussion ca- techniques and approaches so I could accident? Coincidence? Something cently finished the violin concerto, I denza did eventually end up in the explore further possibilities. There mystical? Preordained… who knows? was much more relaxed with diving second movement). Every movement was almost nothing she couldn’t tack- End of that story. into what was, for me, more unchart- would hand off at least one melodic le. The cadenzas were a wonderful ed territory. The idea of writing a part to the next, which is something I process of musical tennis, throwing string quartet was intimidating, as I’m enjoy. And with all these rather arbi- ideas up and back, each time adding JOHN MAUCERI so infatuated by the string quartets of trary “game rules” in place, off I went. or elaborating more, until they came Shostakovich – but the presence of a 6 to life. When it was time to record with the piano gave me a bit more confidence, wonderful Royal Scottish National and I loved the freedom that the genre SANDY CAMERON Orchestra (who were also co-com- provides. The only thought I had go- THE TITLE missioners), I was lucky to have John ing into it was the intriguing idea of I had known Ms. Cameron for several Mauceri conduct, as it was he who thematic variations on the familiar years. When I created the violin ca- The title, “Eleven Eleven”, was simple. had led the nail-biting world premiere children’s schoolyard taunt: “Nya, denza for the Elfman-Burton concert, As I was in the final stages of going of the concerto in Prague. We had nya, nya, nya nya…” I wasn’t aware of she was the only violinist I consid- over notes with Sandy, she was curi- worked together many times on film anyone doing that before and thought ered. I met her when she was the vi- ous to know how big the piece had be- music, including the Elfman-Burton it would be fun. It was. You can hear it olinist for a Cirque du Soleil show I come. It had slowly grown to be quite concerts; he also conducted and re- in the second movement of the quar- wrote called IRIS, when I recognized large, but I hadn’t done a bar count.