Mark-Anthony Turnage

A Constant Obsession

Nicky Spence tenor

Chamber Domaine

Thomas Kemp conductor A Constant Obsession Chamber works by A Constant Obsession (2007) Mark-Anthony Turnage (b. 1960) for tenor solo and eight players 1. Prologue [0:59] 2. Love expected [3:36] 3. Love begun [1:47] Nicky Spence tenor 4. The pains of love [5:35] Chamber Domaine 5. Love continued [5:59] 1–6 & 15 7–14 6. Love in death [4:25] Thomas Kemp conductor & violin Three for Two (2010) 7–9 & 14–15 for piano quartet Adrian Bradbury cello 7. Wish One [1:49] 15 Alex Neal percussion 8. Wish Two [4:48] 7–15 9. Wish Three [3:43] Andrew West piano 1–6 & 15 Anna Wolstenholme piccolo, flute & alto flute Four Chants (2008) 1–6 for violin and piano David Juritz violin 10. Chant 1 [2:42] 1–6 Gabriella Dall’Ollio harp 11. Chant 2 [1:25] 1–6 & 15 Neyire Ashworth clarinet & bass clarinet 12. Chant 3 (A Bride’s Fancy) [4:19] 1–9 & 14–15 13. Chant 4 [1:35] Nick Barr viola 1–6 Richard Harwood cello 14. A Slow Pavane (2004) [7:34] 1–6 for piano trio Ruth Bolister oboe & cor anglais 1–6 Roger Montgomery horn 15. Grazioso! (2009) [9:03] for six players

Total playing time [59:27]

‘[...] it’s a delight to find these Mark-Anthony Turnage recordings All world premiere recordings of recent works bouncing along in superb sound; superb artistry too, recorded in the presence of the composer with pungent playing from Chamber Domaine’ The Times Mark-Anthony Turnage: Group and the Orchestra of the Age of A Constant Obsession Enlightenment in 1999 brings together contemporary and historically informed Mark-Anthony Turnage was born in 1960 performance practices, while Hammered Out and is at the forefront of contemporary written for the BBC Symphony Orchestra classical music. A prolific and eclectic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2010, composer, his music is full of contrasts brings R&B inspired by James Brown and spanning musical styles from the Renaissance 1970s jazz-funk to the symphony orchestra. through to R&B. His music is performed Whilst having residencies with orchestras worldwide in both opera house and concert such as the Chicago Symphony, BBC Symphony, hall and his ability to encompass and London Philharmonic, City of Birmingham assimilate such a broad range of music Symphony and English National Opera, gives him a unique voice that appeals to a Turnage has written for smaller forces and wide range of listeners. the instrumental chamber music and song featured in this recording were all written His operas, Greek, The Silver Tassie and in the first decade of the 21st century. Anna Nicole have caused controversy as well as gaining huge acclaim from audiences Having commissions for symphony orchestras and critics alike. They have forced people and opera has meant that there is some to take notice of contemporary music and overlap of material between the chamber have challenged them to think. Turnage music and larger scale works. A Constant comments: ‘I am attracted to strong subjects. Obsession was written in 2007 for tenor and Anna Nicole is a good story and you could eight players. Turnage was also writing Chicago not work on an opera for three to four years Remains for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra if the story and its characters did not fascinate and Bernard Haitink at the same time: you. I am not interested in older stories, I go ‘Having a busy schedule means that crossover with the things that I like, the films I like and between pieces is almost inevitable. A strong subjects that resonate with our time.’ Constant Obsession was like a study for Chicago Remains.’ Nicky Spence, Thomas Kemp and Chamber Domaine record A Constant Obsession Turnage’s orchestral music has brought in St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London together seemingly disparate elements of The song cycle sets words of five English music – works such as About Time written writers from different periods – John Keats, for the Birmingham Contemporary Music Thomas Hardy, Edward Thomas, Robert Graves and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The composer horn and strings: the frantic tremolo passages transcended only by a belief in miracle, of birthdays of Steven Schaefer and Christoph gives each poem a title – ‘Love expected’, in the strings depict the torrential rain from absolute love continuing between man and Eschenbach, there are subtle musical ‘Love begun’, ‘The pains of love’, ‘Love which the couple is sheltering. The climactic woman.’ The horn has a prominent refrain in reminders that this is a birthday piece in each continues’ and ‘Love in death’. These titles end of the poem, where the poet expresses this song and there is a lyrical instrumental movement; each of the three movements create the text for the short ‘Prologue’ – a his regret and frustration, is rhythmically free interlude, which features a duet between providing a birthday wish. The first, ‘Wish wistful and poignant introduction to the and set like a cadenza over a hushed chord in bass clarinet and viola, which provides a One’, is lively and features asymmetrical cycle. The poems dwell on different aspects the bass clarinet and horn, which emphasizes reflective contrast to the spiky, capricious phrases. The harmony is jazzy as is the of love and the musical settings brilliantly the reminiscent nature of the poem about a music of the outer sections. piano writing particularly in the middle illuminate the texts. fleeting moment of attraction. section. The second, ‘Wish Two’, is lyrical The final song, ‘Love in death’ is Alfred, Lord and features the viola. The piano writing by John Keats’s poem Bright Star was written ‘The pains of love’ is set to a poem by Edward Tennyson’s Come not, when I am dead. contrast in this movement is economical and as a declaration of love to Fanny Brawne in Thomas entitled No one so much as you. Here the poet is a jilted lover, cautioning his provides a sparse commentary on the strings. 1819 and he continued to revise the poem The poem is tender and regretful: full of pain errant lover from beyond the grave. The ‘Wish Three’ is again jazz influenced and, up until his death in 1821. Keats and Brawne and guilt about an unequal love. Turnage song opens with an expansive tenor solo following an extended passage for violin and were secretly engaged but their love was to opens the song with a soaring and highly whose music is then taken up by the piano, the strings play a theme in rhythmical be shattered by Keats’s worsening tuberculosis expressive phrase on the flute, which is woodwinds in unison, which has a haunting unison that would not be out of place in and lack of means, which prevented them shadowed in the strings. The song is in quality. This opening gambit provides all the Duke Ellington’s big band. Again, the music from marrying. In September 1820, Keats ternary form and the middle section is melodic material for the movement. is informed by writing larger scale works was advised to leave for a warmer climate more animated. The opening music returns at the same time. ‘The last movement of due to his deteriorating health and he as the poem reveals that the poet could not A Constant Obsession was written for Mark Three for Two was going to be a food aria moved to Rome severing all contact with truly return the love given by his partner: Padmore and the Nash Ensemble and was in Anna Nicole but I decided not to use it in Brawne: he died five months later. The this unease is underpinned by a restless, commissioned by the Wigmore Hall. Turnage the opera and instead used the material in music for this setting entitled ‘Love expected’ syncopated ostinato in the viola, cello and states that: ‘Setting British texts and writing this piece.’ is elegiac and gently lilting, with particularly harp. for Mark Padmore meant it was very hard lyrical viola writing. to get away from Benjamin Britten and the Turnage has been influenced by jazz since Counting the Beats by Robert Graves provides music undoubtedly is influenced by this. I his studies at the Royal College of Music: Thomas Hardy’s A Thunderstorm in Town the text for ‘Love continued’. Like Edward also try and write for the musicians I am ‘Before I went to college I was studying (A Reminiscence), set by Turnage in ‘Love Thomas, Graves established his reputation writing for and try and compose music that with Olly Knussen and was obsessed with begun’, dates from 1893. The poem is about as a poet during the First World War when suits their performing style: I am aware of contemporary music such as Boulez and unfulfilled love: the poet regretting a missed fighting on the Western Front. In his their sound when I compose.’ Stockhausen. When I went to the RCM, opportunity to steal a kiss whilst sheltering Collected Poems, published in 1966, Graves jazz was the opposite of what the college from a ‘pelting storm’. Turnage writes described Counting the Beats: ‘My main Three for Two dates from 2010 and is for stood for and I got obsessed with it starting explosive, stormy music for bass clarinet, theme was always the practical impossibility, piano quartet. Written to celebrate the 70th with jazz-fusion and then working back to the 1920s and before that. I started to use Four Chants date from 2008 and were written cello and percussion. Grazioso! is one of a jazz in my compositions but the deep for the violinist, Viviane Hagner commissioned number of works inspired by Led Zeppelin, knowledge came later from collaborating by the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. which include Out of Black Dust, Twisted with artists such as John Scofield and Peter The violin in ‘Chant 1’ grows lyrically out of Ballad and Twisted Blues. In this case, Erskine. Musicians and music – that’s what a broken chord in the piano. In the middle Turnage states that there is ‘a very slight I care about. Jazz is a part of that.’ section the piano has the melodic material allusion to the group’s 1971 Black Dog.’ with a big range of tessitura between treble The title refers to the first brand of guitar A Slow Pavane is for piano trio and was and bass creating a feeling of space. The violin used by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. The written in 2004 for the 50th anniversary of plucks an accompaniment, which builds to a music is highly energetic and there are few the Beaux Arts Trio. It forms a triptych with brief climactic moment. The opening returns lyrical moments. Turnage comments: ‘I don’t two other movements for piano trio, from as a truncated variation of the material heard care about fitting in. I like thinking about 2003, which can be performed separately at the start of the movement. ‘Chant 2’ again specific players and writing musician’s music.’ or together. Turnage has often drawn on explores extremes of range – this time on It is this approach combined with a masterly Baroque and Renaissance dances in his the violin. The brittle piano accompaniment assimilation of a wide range of musical music and here he uses the pavane, a slow that enters after a short violin solo is jaunty influences that give Mark-Anthony Turnage a processional dance from the 16th century. and ironic and could be by Kurt Weill or unique voice in contemporary culture and This movement is in duple time but, rather Shostakovich. ‘Chant 3’ is a violin solo and provide such variety and contrasts in his than having strict dance measures, is ties together material from the two earlier music, which is very much of our time. rhythmically complex. The movement has movements. ‘Chant 4’ is marked ‘Very ironic three sections. The opening section is with lots of rubato’. The piano writing is © 2012 Thomas Kemp sombre, with the strings playing over a comical and would not be out of place in a low bass line in the piano. The middle section burlesque club, while around the violin is faster and the cello and violin have a melody is a whiff of Tristan und Isolde. passionate and volatile duet. The piano Mark-Anthony Turnage eventually joins and the music builds in Grazioso! was written for the American group, (Photography © Philip Gatward) intensity and drama. The third section is an Eighth Blackbird, and was inspired by their inversion of the first section with the violin and particularly for its legendary pianist playing, which the composer heard in Chicago playing an ethereal version of the low bass Menahem Pressler who was a member for when he was resident composer with the line heard at the opening. The movement over fifty years. Writing for the piano trio, I Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The title is ends with chorale chords in the piano with could not escape the great works for the genre ironic and the music is far from grazioso, the strings pizzicato. and the low piano refrain in A Slow Pavane, is being mostly aggressive and having extremes Nicky Spence tenor a little bit like that which opens the slow of register and dynamic with an ensemble (Photography: Sabine Mardo) ‘I really enjoyed writing for the Beaux Art Trio movement of the Ravel Piano Trio.’ of piccolo, bass clarinet, piano, viola, Texts We look and understand, 6. Love in Death Then the downpour ceased, to my sharp sad pain, We cannot speak Come not, when I am dead, A Constant Obsession And the glass that had screened our forms before Except in trifles and To drop they foolish tears upon my grave, 1. Prologue Flew up, and out she sprang to her door: Words the most weak. To trample round my fallen head, Love expected I should have kissed her if the rain And vex the unhappy dust thou wouldst not save. Love begun Had lasted a minute more. For I at most accept There let the wind sweep and the plover cry; The pains of love Your love, regretting But thou, go by. Love continued A Thunderstorm in Town (A Reminiscence) That is all: I have kept Love in death by Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) Only a fretting Child, if it were thine error or thy crime I care no longer, being all unblest: 2. Love expected 4. The pains of love That I could not return Wed whom thou wilt, but I am sick of Time, Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art – No one so much as you All that you gave And I desire to rest. Not in lone splendour hung aloft in the night, Loves this my clay, And could not ever burn Pass on, weak heart, and leave me where I lie: And watching, with eternal lids apart, Or would lament as you With the love you have, Go by, go by. Like Nature’s patient sleepless Eremite, Its dying day. The moving waters at their priestlike task Till sometimes it did seem Come not, when I am dead Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores, You know me through and through Better it were Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892) Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask Though I have not told, Never to see you more Of snow upon the mountains and the moors – And though with what you know Than linger here No – yet still stedfast, still unchangeable, You are not bold. Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast, With only gratitude To feel for ever its soft fall and swell, None ever was so fair Instead of love – Awake for ever in a sweet unrest, As I thought you: A pine in solitude Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath, Not a word can I bear Cradling a dove. And so live ever – or else swoon to death. Spoken against you. No one so much as you Bright Star by John Keats (1795–1821) All that I ever did Edward Thomas (1878–1917) For you seemed coarse 3. Love begun Compared with what I hid 5. Love continued She wore a new ‘terra-cotta’ dress, Nor put in force. And we stayed, because of the pelting storm, Counting the Beats Within the hansom’s dry recess, My eyes scarce dare meet you by Robert Graves (1895-1985) can be found in Through the horse had stopped; yea, motionless Lest they should prove Robert Graves: The Complete Poems (Penguin Thomas Kemp (Photographer: Anders Nyman) We sat on, snug and warm. I but respond to you Modern Classics, 2003) And do not love. Nicky Spence (tenor) created and premiered many new pieces and Thomas Kemp (conductor & violin) Thomas is regularly in demand as a guest most notably, works by Jonathan Dove and conductor with orchestras and ensembles in Hailed by The Daily Telegraph as ‘a voice of the lead role in Nico Muhly’s opera Two Boys Thomas Kemp is a highly acclaimed musician the UK and Europe. Forthcoming engagements real distinction,’ Nicky Spence is fast for ENO and The Metropolitan Opera. and one of the most versatile and eclectic include tours of Asia and Europe with The emerging as ‘one of our brightest young conductors of his generation, acclaimed for Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment tenors.’ An artist of great integrity, Nicky On the recital platform, Nicky enjoys his innovative programming and passionate conducting the 1926 film version of Richard Spence’s unique skills as a singing actor collaboration with leading artists of art song advocacy in concerts, opera, ballet and as Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier together with and the rare honesty in his musicianship such as Malcolm Martineau, Julius Drake, an award winning recording artist. arrangements of Strauss songs made for are steadfastly earning him a place at the Roger Vignoles, Iain Burnside, William Vann, silent film which receive their modern top of the profession. Having trained at Simon Lepper and Joseph Middleton. His Thomas is the Music Director of the premieres. He is an acclaimed exponent of the Guildhall School and the National Opera discography includes a recital disc of internationally acclaimed ensemble Chamber late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Studio, he took his place as an inaugural French Melodié, Shakespeare Settings Domaine, which is at the forefront of music as well as collaborating with many Harewood Artist at the ENO in 2011. (both with Maritineau) and works by ensembles focusing on twentieth- and leading composers. Leoncavallo, Schumann, Britten and twenty-first-century music. He has directed Nicky has enjoyed great operatic success in premieres of Jonathan Dove, Pavel Haas, Chamber Domaine in festivals and concert In 2012, he made his operatic debut in a the UK which has led to important Alun Hoddinott and Mark-Anthony series in the UK, Europe and North America new production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte for International debuts in houses such as Opera Turnage. and has a distinguished discography with Opera Holland Park with the City of London de Paris, La Monnaie, Opera Frankfurt, De the ensemble including world premiere Sinfonia to widespread praise. Thomas has Nederlandse Opera and The Metropolitan In 2015, Nicky was nominated for Young recordings of Britten, Bridge, Bliss, Turnage, performed at many leading festivals in the Opera, New York. He works regularly with Singer of the Year by the International Opera Pärt, Górecki, Rorem and Bingham. He is a UK and overseas including the Edinburgh, conductors such as Edward Gardner, Sir Awards and The Times Breakthrough Artist recording artist for Resonus Classics. Cheltenham, City of London, Huddersfield Mark Elder, Phillipe Jordan, Carlo Rizzi, Andris Award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards. Contemporary, Wien Modern, The Proms, Nelsons, Maurizio Benini, Donald Runnicles He is Artistic Director of Music@Malling – an Vale of Glamorgan, Aldeburgh and Brighton and Mark Wigglesworth in roles which www.nickyspence.com international festival that promotes the Festivals. He has broadcast regularly on BBC include David (Die Meistersingers von works of contemporary composers alongside Radio 3, Classic FM, ORF (Austria), ABC Nürnberg), Števa (Jenůfa), Alwa (Lulu), Andres masterworks from the Classical and Romantic (Australia), WNYC (USA), RNZ (New Zealand) (Wozzeck), Janek (The Makropoulos Case), periods. The festival is held each September and SR (Sweden). He has regularly performed Steuermann (Der Fliegender Holländer), in historic venues in and around West at the Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Ottavio (Don Malling, Kent, and has a year-round outreach as a guest artist for Bargemusic, New York. Giovanni), Iago (Otello – Rossini), Baron programme that engages hundreds of young Lummer (Intermezzo), Chevalier de la Force (Les people in creative activities from across the www.thomaskemp.eu Carmélites), Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress) county. and Quint (The Turn of the Screw). He has Other titles from Resonus Classics Chamber Domaine Chamber Domaine gave its highly praised Southbank and Wigmore Hall debuts in 1999 W.A. Mozart: Flute Quartets Chamber Domaine is a trailblazing ensemble and has since performed at leading festivals Sami Junnonen (flute), Chamber Domaine acclaimed for its virtuosity, distinctive and concert series in the United Kingdom, RES10216 programming and passionate advocacy of Europe and North America including the music from the twentieth and twenty-first Cheltenham, Brighton, Vale of Glamorgan, ‘[...] clean, modern flute technique [...] crisp or suave string ensemble according to musical centuries. Chamber Domaine is project based City of London and Edinburgh Festivals. The character – all recorded with bright immediacy’ and has a modular lineup of outstanding ensemble has also had groundbreaking BBC Music Magazine instrumentalists and vocalists ranging from residencies at the Victoria and Albert Museum, duos to chamber orchestra. Under its The Imperial War Museum, Arnold Schonberg Music Director, Thomas Kemp the ensemble Centre in Vienna, Gresham College and aims to bring new work to new audiences Bargemusic in New York. Rakastava: The Music of Jean Sibelius placing the music of our time into its Chamber Domaine, Thomas Kemp (conductor) context, illuminated by music from across Chamber Domaine is the resident ensemble RES10205 three centuries. Its innovative programming, for Music@Malling and has a year around collaborations, recording and outreach place outreach programme engaging hundreds of ‘The playing is highly refined [... the disc] the ensemble at the forefront of music- children from across Kent in creative activities. unquestionably has something distinctive to say’ making today. This groundbreaking programme has included Gramophone collaborations with national, regional and The ensemble has worked with many of the local organisations to create an artistic world’s leading composers including Mark- resource for the local area that is of outstanding Anthony Turnage, Judith Bingham, Ned quality. Music@Malling was recently one of the Rorem, Arvo Pärt, Mark Simpson, Henryk classical events of the year in The Arts Desk. © 2019 Resonus Limited Górecki, Piers Hellawell, Stuart MacRae, The ensemble has a distinguished and highly è 2012 Resonus Limited Huw Watkins, Judith Weir, Brian Ferneyhough, acclaimed discography with recordings winning Recorded in the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St Hilda’s College, Oxford on 14–15 June 2011 H.K. Gruber and David Horne giving many international plaudits and regularly broadcasts and in St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London on 20 October 2011 Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks territorial and world premieres in concerts worldwide. Chamber Domaine are recording Recorded at 24-bit / 96kHz resolution and recordings. The ensemble regularly artists with Resonus Classics and further Cover image: Hintergrund organisch © Wilm Ihlenfeld – Fotolia.com collaborates with leading figures from across releases for 2018 include the flute quartets Session photography © Resonus Ltd the arts world, including Sir Anish Kapoor, of Mozart. Piano by Steinway & Sons (tracks 7–15), maintained by Joseph Taylor Pianos Ltd Edward Fox, Nicky Spence, Helen Lederer, Thanks are due to Mark-Anthony Turnage, Sabine Mardo, Philip Gatward, Cathy Nelson and Taya Smith for their assistance. Yeree Suh, Sara Fulgoni, Craig Ogden, Irina Takahashi and Anna Grevelius. RESONUS LIMITED – UK [email protected] www.resonusclassics.com RES10106