Simon Holt

a table of noises St Vitus in the kettle witness to a snow miracle

Colin Currie percussion • Chloë Hanslip violin • Hallé • Nicholas Collon conductor photo © Andrzej Urbaniak Simon Holt a table of noises 1 JUTE 3’30 2 ghost one 0’37 3 fl y 3’35 4 ghost two 1’03 5 a drawer full of eyes 2’38 6 ghost three 0’57 7 Skennin’ Mary 4’11 8 ghost four 1’31 9 table top / ghost fi ve 6’02 10 under glass 3’37 Colin Currie percussion • Hallé • Nicholas Collon conductor

11 St Vitus in the kettle 5’56 Hallé • Nicholas Collon conductor witness to a snow miracle 12 Eulalia of Merida 2’05 13 the tearing, the burning 3’17 14 fl ames become birds 3’26 15 snowfall on ashes 4’17 16 witness 3’12 17 torments 3’10 18 halo 3’52 Chloë Hanslip violin • Hallé • Nicholas Collon conductor Total timing: 57’13

3 Simon Holt Miracles and Memories

“I have a feeling that the simpler and more direct something is, the more mysterious it is.”

So says the multi award-winning to delve deep into personal as well Simon Holt, refl ecting on his as collective memory as the works journey as an orchestral composer: here attest: the violin concerto, from 1987 and his inaugural BBC witness to a snow miracle (2005), Proms commission, Syrensong, to and the short orchestral showpiece, the present day via the three post- St Vitus in the kettle (2008), explore millennium works that comprise this the macabre yet wonder-inducing illuminating fourth, full album of his martyrdom of child saints; closer to from NMC. home, the percussion concerto, a table of noises (2007), revels in Holt’s comment points to a the eccentricity of Holt’s taxidermist fascination with the monolithic that great uncle Ashworth. has often informed his work, but which has become steadily more In expressive terms, Holt’s quest crucial to his orchestral writing. His amounts to the probing of stories and propensity for fi nding inspiration ideas that capture his imagination, in literature and poetry, mythology bringing them vividly to life through and visual art is well-known. This the abstract yet physical stuff of is combined with a penchant for musical material. His pieces are outlandish folk tales and a kind of rich with the tension of opposites, oblique ritualism, and a willingness explored through an idiom that is

4 typically highly charged, colouristic Holt’s textures and formal structures and atonal; eschewing ‘systems’ are strikingly idiosyncratic and or theoretical dogma, but rather loaded with aural theatre. The chiselled-out as a sculptor might do, concertos comprise a series of to often fi ligree levels of refi nement. short, episodic movements or tableau; there are seven in snow More deeply, these resources are miracle whilst noises has six, deployed in pursuit of metaphysical interspersed with fi ve, equally questions; not to fi nd answers per characterful “ghost” interludes. In se, but in time-honoured modernist both works the soloist forms the tradition to interrogate concepts, focal point of an orchestral narrative beliefs and the material itself in a which – like that of St Vitus – is full way which somehow pierces through of turbulent momentum arrested by to the heart of the experience. Holt sudden ruptures and fragmentation, has said of St Vitus, “I’m not at all yet intensely subtle and retaining an religious – completely irreligious underlying sense of stillness. in fact – but I’m interested in the stranger saints and the idea of belief Extremes of register abound as, for and the faith people have and the example, shrill piccolos contrast with lengths they will go to protect it”. He sonorous, rumbling contrabassoon offers no moral judgement upon the and tuba. The string sections stories he chooses. Rather, paradox hold surprises, too; whilst snow and enigma loom large in his music, miracle omits and cellos, where suggestive atmospheres and and noises omits violins, St Vitus pictorial, sometimes surreally witty eschews strings altogether except ‘scenes’ are soaked in claustrophobic for six double basses which – like disquiet and lit with an exquisite, dark all Holt’s ensemble strings – are beauty. frequently divided into smaller,

5 delicate groupings. It goes without death by the Romans in 304 A.D. saying that the concerto soloists Aged just 12-14 years old, she require not just technical brilliance had supposedly refused to worship but great sonic imagination. Yet “false gods” decreed by the emperor every player in Holt’s extraordinary Diocletian. In the composer’s words, orchestral soundworld performs he presents the concerto’s seven a vital, dramatic role. Allusive and movements “as if part of a painting multi-layered, his music is amongst in which we see all the events of the most exciting and intriguing of her life and eventual martyrdom”. today. Eulalia’s story is certainly gruesome, witness to a and Holt utilises visceral musical imagery in a score replete with snow miracle (2005) subtle medieval hues. He describes From the initial, frenzied cadenza for how she was tortured: “… torn solo violin, witness to a snow miracle by iron hooks revealing her very turns on its head any conventional bones, and fl ames applied to the idea about what a concerto is. The wounds to increase her suffering. title is derived from W. G. Sebald’s She was dragged by the hair, ‘As the Snow on the Alps’, from berating her captors all the while the prose-poem, After Nature. This and threatening them with the concerns the renaissance painter terrors of the Final Judgement, to Matthias Grünewald, famous for his the place of execution where she grotesque religious panels in which was covered in hot coals. Her hair physical torment is portrayed in caught fi re and she was suffocated harrowing technicolour detail. Holt’s by the smoke. A blanket of snow subject is the Christian martyr St fell on her ashes, at which point she Eulalia of Merida, who was put to was declared a saint.”

6 The opening ‘Eulalia of Merida’ – and is, the absence of reason in the indeed the entire violin part, with its fundamentalist, unswerving faith obsessive, frantic lines off-set by held by tormented and tormentors shrieking woodwind; thumping and alike. Holt’s unfl inching aural images rasping brass; clanking percussion compel just as they repel. He seems and rippling harp and celeste – to ask: where ends and where suggests that the soloist represents begins horror and beauty; fi re and the saint herself. However, as so ice; monster and miracle? The piece often in Holt’s music, his mode of is fi nally inscrutable, as the soloist is expression might be strikingly direct, instructed to turn his or her back to but meanings or associations are the audience as it dies away. ambiguous. Who is it that bears witness? Perhaps we listeners do Commissioned by the BBC. Premiere: – but are we sure that the violinist violinist Viviane Hagner with the BBC Symphony , conducted does not? Does Eulalia actually by Jonathan Nott. Awarded Best expire, or is she rather transmuted? Orchestral Work at the 2006 British Holt’s movements run thus: Composer Awards. 1 Eulalia of Merida 2 the tearing, the burning a table of noises (2007) 3 fl ames become birds The title, a table of noises, contains 4 snowfall on ashes several clues as to the inspiration 5 witness behind Holt’s extraordinary 6 torments percussion concerto, and the 7 halo mischief that pervades it. In his composer’s note, Holt explains that More important than narrative “the percussionist will, for the most logic, here, is its absence; that part, be seated on a cajon (a box-

7 like instrument most often used tongue-in-cheek collective noun? in fl amenco). At other times he Holt’s score is both wittily inventive will play the xylophone and fi nally and poignant in its portrayal of Ash the glockenspiel, but all the other and aspects of his life. It is also instruments will be laid out on a gratifyingly substantial, utilising table in front of the soloist; hence startling, mainly chamber textures the title.” within a series of brief movements linked by fi ve “ghost” orchestral The music itself suggests further interludes: twists: a ‘table’ also describes a method of categorising, and 1 JUTE (a rough material used for Holt casts the work’s subject, his stuffi ng animal skins) taxidermist great uncle Ashworth, 2 ghost one as a kind of maverick scientist-cum- 3 fl y (Ash’s dog, who would fall collector. There is irony, too, in that asleep standing up, staring into the piece confounds expectations the fi re) of a percussion concerto in 4 ghost two being mainly quiet in dynamic 5 a drawer full of eyes and delicately subtle – as well as (discovered by Holt’s mother in fearsomely virtuosic. Indeed, Holt Ash’s bedroom tallboy) writes for pitched and un-pitched 6 ghost three percussion alike with great lyrical 7 Skennin’ Mary (a neighbour care and sensitivity, belying lazy with a glass eye that spun when ‘categorisations’ of percussion as she became angry) ‘noise’ as opposed to ‘music’. 8 ghost four 9 table top (everything to hand How does the orchestra stand in since Ash had a “gammy leg”) relation to this ‘table of noises’; a / ghost fi ve (for bass ,

8 played simultaneously with Commissioned for Colin Currie jointly ‘table top’) by the City of Birmingham Symphony 10 under glass (Ash’s display Orchestra and the Borletti-Buitoni cabinet of stuffed animals and Trust. Awarded Best Orchestral Work family photos) at the 2009 British Composer Awards.

Orchestral percussion, together St Vitus in the kettle (2008) with two prominent piccolos, are This short, fantastical orchestral positioned antiphonally at the back showpiece was composed early of the ensemble to form a triangle in Holt’s tenure as BBC National with the soloist at the front. These Orchestra of Wales Composer- and the rest of the orchestra – in-Association (2008-2014). It down to booming, sepulchral, bass was commissioned to celebrate trombone and tuba – range from the orchestra’s move to a new whistling almost-ditties to eerie home in January 2009 at BBC chords and spectral mirages. Not Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff Bay. unlike witness to a snow miracle, the Dazzlingly energetic and full of soloist becomes in effect the central fast-changing, quirky timbres, the character within a musical narrative piece also achieves within its six- whilst refl ecting upon it. Again, minute span a meditative quality death is ghoulishly surreal, but here that invites refl ection on, as well there is overt black humour. What as astonishment at, the story of its means the designation “ghost” of martyr subject. the orchestral interludes? Is it the spirit of Uncle Ash? Or perhaps that Holt describes St Vitus as “the of the animals he preserved to stare patron saint of actors, comedians, forever out with glassy eyes? Czechoslovakia, epileptics and

9 dancers”, and protector against supposedly driven to dash their “snake and dog bites, lightning and brains out, “roaring and foaming”. storms”. Said to have been between seven and twelve years old when he Unsurprisingly, dancing hysteria was put to death, the saint shares features in Holt’s alternately inviting further kinship with St Eulalia in and chilling, episodic musical having fallen foul of the Roman, response. Propelled by pizzicato Diocletian; in his case, despite double basses and tinnitus-high having rid that emperor’s son of an piccolos, percussive outbursts are evil spirit. intercut with ominous block chords and swirling, ragged woodwind. In the way of diabolically inventive Contrary to the insanity and excess medieval torture, St Vitus was it describes, the piece is a model of boiled in a kettle of lead – and it concision and control. was Holt’s coming across a “rather serene and yet not a little comical” Premiere performance by the sculpture in Berlin of this unenviable BBC National Orchestra of Wales, fate that inspired his piece. The conducted by Thierry Fischer. tale that St Vitus sprang unharmed from the cauldron gave rise to a bizarre ritual in 16th-century Germany whereby peasants danced maniacally in front of his statue in the belief that this would ensure good health for the coming year. From this came the naming of the nervous disorder, ‘St Vitus’ Dance’, whose sufferers were © 2017 Steph Power

10 Simon Holt

Simon Holt was born in Bolton, Simon Holt’s output for the chamber Lancashire in 1958. After completing ensemble is large, with eight pieces a foundation course at Bolton written for the including Art College, he went on to study Shadow Realm (1983), Era madrugada composition with Anthony Gilbert at (1984), Canciones (1986) and the Royal Northern College of Music Sparrow Night (1989). in Manchester. He is a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music and To date, Holt has been commissioned of the University of Bolton. As a young to write four major orchestral pieces composer he was commissioned by the for the BBC Proms – in 1987, John late Michael Vyner, then artistic director Drummond commissioned Syrensong of the Sinfonietta, to write for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, later Kites (1983). In 1985 he was featured followed by the concerto Walking composer of the Bath International with the River’s Roar, premiered by Festival at which the late William Nobuko Imai and the BBC Philharmonic Mann was the artistic director. Holt’s in 1992. Latterly, Troubled Light and relationship with the Morpheus Wakes for the BBC National has continued with a steady stream of Orchestra of Wales. performances and premieres, including Ballad of the Black Sorrow (1988), Simon Holt has found inspiration eco-pavan (1998) and Sueños (2006) in, amongst other things, the world for baritone and ensemble, performed of Greek myth. His Icarus Trilogy by and the London culminated in 1995 with the premiere Sinfonietta conducted by Thierry of his cello concerto Daedalus Fischer in London and Madrid. Remembers, commissioned by the

11 Cheltenham festival for Rohan de Sunrise’ yellow noise is the fi rst part Saram and Sinfonia 21 conducted by of the cycle, a ribbon of time, which Daniel Harding. In addition, he feels a encompasses fi ve works of various great affi nity for the writing of Federico genre based on poems by Emily Garcia Lorca whose dark, passionate Dickinson. The other four pieces are and enigmatic texts have much in Two Movements for common with Holt’s own sound world. (2001), which received the Royal He has set Lorca’s texts in his song Philharmonic Society Award in 2002; cycle Canciones and his fi rst Boots of Lead (2002) for alto and The Nightingale’s to Blame. This was ensemble, which was premiered by a commission from Opera North, the BCMG, Rinat Shaham and Sir Simon Huddersfi eld Contemporary Music Rattle in October 2002 and received Festival, and the Munich Biennale, and the Ivor Novello Classical Music Award; the premiere formed the focal point Clandestiny (2000) for soprano and of a major retrospective at the 1998 organ; and startled Grass (2001) for Huddersfi eld Contemporary Music female voices and cello. The music Festival. Simon Holt’s soprano and theatre piece, Who Put Bella in the orchestra piece, Sunrise’ yellow noise Wych Elm?, commissioned by Almeida (2000) for the City of Birmingham Opera, was performed Symphony Orchestra and Lisa Milne around the UK in 2003 to great acclaim under Sir went on to tour and judged Best Stage Work at the the Cologne Triennale in May 2000, 2004 British Composer Awards. It led and was the subject of a one-hour to a number of ‘spin off’ pieces – The South Bank Show TV documentary. In Coroner’s Report (2004) for ensemble, 2001, Simon Holt received Le Prix de the other side of silence (2004) for la Fondation Prince Pierre, Monaco for fl ute, viola and harp, and The sharp end this piece. of night (2005) for solo violin.

12 Holt’s large-scale pieces include the Also by Simon Holt on NMC: violin concerto, witness to a snow miracle (judged Best Orchestral Work ...era madrugada NMC D008 at the 2006 British Composer Awards), Fiona Kimm mezzo-soprano and a percussion concerto for Colin Nash Ensemble Currie entitled a table of noises, which Lionel Friend conductor also won the Orchestral Award at the British Composer Awards in 2009. Banshee NMC D042 Troubled Light was premiered at Melinda Maxwell oboe the BBC Proms with Thierry Fischer Richard Benjafi eld percussion the BBC NOW. His fl ute concerto, Morpheus Wakes, was Boots of Lead NMC D094 premiered by Emmanuel Pahud with Ulrich Heinen cello Thierry Fischer conducting the BBC piano NOW at the 2014 BBC Proms. Rinat Shaham mezzo-soprano BCMG · Sir Simon Rattle Holt was Composer in Association at Martyn Brabbins conductors the BBC National Orchestra of Wales 2008–2014 and during that time wrote a book of colours NMC D128 a number of successful orchestral Rolf Hind piano works including St Vitus in the kettle, Centauromachy, The Yellow Wallpaper Raju Raghuvanshi is a Ghost and Morpheus Wakes. (The NMC Songbook) NMC D150 Omar Ebrahim baritone Information about the artists on this disc can be found on NMC’s website: disparate (Sound Census) NMC D160 www.nmcrec.co.uk Endymion Quentin Poole conductor

13 THANK YOU SUPPORT NMC RECORDINGS PRODUCERS’ CIRCLE Anonymous, Robert D. Bielecki Foundation, Anthony Bolton, Luke As a charity NMC is non-profi t-making, providing Gardiner, Jonathan Goldstein, Nicholas and Judith Goodison, public benefi t through the contribution our work , Ralph Kanza, George Law, Colin Matthews, makes to enriching cultural life. Our ability James and Anne Rushton, Richard Steele, Charlotte Stevenson, to record and promote the innovative, the Janis Susskind, Andrew Ward, Arnold Whittall. challenging, the obscure and the lost is reliant upon securing the support of individuals who are PRINCIPAL BENEFACTORS as passionate about new music as we are. Benjamin Bruce, Diana Burrell, John Casken, Robin Chapman, Anton Cox, Brian Elias, Richard Fries, Michael Greenwald, Terry Friends membership (£50 / £20 concession per Holmes, Stephen Johns, Jeremy Marchant, Belinda Matthews, year) offers advance notice of NMC releases, a Robert McFarland, Kieron O’Hara, Tarik O’Regan, Duncan Tebbet, quarterly newsletter, and invitations to selected NMC events including CD launches. Benefactors Christoph and Marion Trestler, Peter Wakefi eld, Judith Weir, (£100) also receive up to 25% discount on NMC Hugh Wood. CDs, are credited in CD booklets, and invited to BENEFACTORS recording sessions. Principal Benefactors (£250+) Anonymous, Raj Arumugan, Peter Aylmer, Peter Baldwin, Sir Alan are additionally welcomed to an annual gathering, Bowness, Gabriel Bray, Tony Britten, Andrew Burn, Sally Cavender, with the opportunity to meet NMC composers. Michael Cayley, David Charlton, Susan Costello and Robert Clark, The NMC Producers’ Circle invites donations of Sheila Colvin, Steven Foster, Matthew Frost, Anthony Gilbert, £1,000+ to help us release particular hidden gems. Alexander Goehr, Jennifer Goodwin, Adam Gorb, Elaine Gould, It allows donors to gain an exclusive insight into Paul Griffi ths, David Gutman, Barry Guy, Matthew Harris, Robin and association with our work. Holloway, Helen Hughes, Norman Jacobs, Peter Jenkins, Alison and Kjeld Jensen, Ed Jones, Neil King QC, Liz Leach, Bertie Leigh, We welcome Corporate Friends (£500+ VAT) who Andrew Lockyer, Sally Marks, Prof Stephen McHanwell, Stephen seek to align themselves with NMC’s values of and Jackie Newbould, Dominic Nudd, Marina Ogilvy, Roy Parker, quality, creativity and innovation. Stephen Plaistow, Chris Potts, Ronald Powell, Lee Rodwell, Julian A gift in your Will is an enduring way to mark your Rushton, Keith Salway, Howard Saunders, Ian Sesnan FRSA, appreciation of NMC’s pioneering work and help Howard Skempton, David Smith, Kenneth Smith, Martin Staniforth, v us secure our future aspirations. Our individual Owen Toller, Kevin Turner, Hannah Vlcek, Anthony Whitworth-Jones. supporters ensure the breadth and ambition of our CORPORATE FRIENDS output; no gift is too small. City & Cambridge Consultancy, , Freshfi elds Bruckhaus Please visit: www.nmcrec.co.uk/support-us Deringer LLP, The Incorporated Society of Musicians, The Music email: [email protected], Sales Group, Royal Philharmonic Society, Schott Music Ltd. or phone 020 7759 1826 for more information.

14 With thanks to The Hinrichsen Foundation for supporting NMC’s Hallé Series through its New Initiatives programme.

NMC is grateful for the support of the Hallé and the RVW Trust in making this recording.

a table of noises and St Vitus in the kettle were recorded on 29 July DISTRIBUTION 2014; witness to a snow miracle was recorded on 9 November 2015. NMC recordings are distributed worldwide in CD and download All at Hallé St Peter’s, Ancoats, Manchester format. For more information visit our website. DAVID LEFEBER Recording Engineer & Producer You can also purchase recordings direct from our online store DAVID LEFEBER Mastering www.nmcrec.co.uk COLIN MATTHEWS Executive Producer for NMC FRANCOIS HALL Graphic design FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT: ERIN JOHNSON Cover photograph NMC Recordings Ltd Somerset House, Third Floor, South Wing, Simon Holt’s music is published by Chester Music, part of the Music Strand, London, WC2R 1LA Sales Group Tel. +44 (0)20 7759 1827/8 NMC Recordings is a charitable company (reg. no. 328052) Fax. +44 (0)20 7759 1829 established for the recording of contemporary music by the Holst Foundation; it is grateful for funding from Arts Council England, the E-mail: [email protected] Britten-Pears Foundation, The Boltini Trust and The Delius Trust. Website: www.nmcrec.co.uk ANNE RUSHTON Executive Director All rights of the manufacturer and owner of the recorded material ELEANOR WILSON General Manager reserved. Unauthorised public performance, broadcasting and GWENDOLYN TIETZE Head of Development copying of this recording prohibited. ALEX WRIGHT Development and Projects Co-ordinator ® 2017 NMC Recordings Ltd RACHEL WILMOT Label Assistant © 2017 NMC Recordings Ltd Catalogue no: NMC D218

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