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Andrew Ford: The Scattering of Light http://www.andrewford.net.au/xscattering.htm Back to Andrew Ford home Andrew Ford (b. 1957) The Scattering of Light (2010) for violin, viola, cello and piano The Scattering of Light was commissioned by the University of Queensland to mark its centenary, and so I tried to find a title a rationale for the piece that would link it to the anniversary and celebrate what all the best universities do: namely, send their le out into the world. The metaphor of light came early and seemed especially appropriate for a university with its main campus i Brisbane suburb of St Lucia, but I chanced on the actual title in Ian McEwan's novel, Solar. There are various musical analogies for teaching and learning in the piece, none of which, I hope, is necessary for an underst or appreciation of the music. These include the way in which different instruments take it in turns to lead the ensemble, while t others challenge, modify or expand on the musical propositions. In the last few minutes of the piece, the music becomes rathe simple with a transparent texture, and I would like to think it gives off its own light. Here the 'leading' instrument is the piano, its simple, 'reasonable' line consisting mainly of a gently repeated B flat. Then in the final seconds of the piece, all four instrumen suddenly go their individual ways, scattering their music as they go. 1 of 1 15/11/2011 4:13 PM Andrew Ford: compositions http://www.andrewford.net.au/comps.htm#thescattering List of Compositions Stage Stage Rembrandt's Wife (2007-09) 75 mins Orchestra Solo instrument & orchestra Opera Voice and orchestra Libretto by Sue Smith String orchestra Principal roles: Wind and brass Saskia van Uylenburgh (soprano) Choral Henrickje Stoffels (soprano) Voice and ensemble Geertje Dircx (mezzo-soprano) Voice and piano Govert Flinck (tenor) Voice and other instrument Rembrandt van Rijn (bass-baritone) Ensemble Titus van Rijn (non-singing child) Instrumental Five other small roles may all be taken by the tenor who sings Flinck Radiophonic N.B. Saskia and Hendrickje may be sung by the same soprano Music for young performers 1(=picc, alto fl)-0-1(=bass cl)-1(=contrabsn) / 1-0-0-0 / 1 perc / hp / 0-0-1-1-1 Arrangements Commissioned by Victorian Opera First performance by Victorian Opera Contacts Gary Rowley (Rembrandt van Rijn), Jacqueline Porter (Saskia van Uylenburgh/Hend for ordering scores Stoffels), Roxane Hislop (Geertje Dircx), Paul Biencourt (Govert Flinck/Torquinius/Jud Richard Gill (conductor), Talya Masel (director), Adam Gardnir (designer) Merlyn Theatre, CUB Malthouse, Melbourne, 18 April 2009 Read libretto (pdf 111 KB) Read composer's note Read librettist's note Night and Dreams: the death of Sigmund Freud (1999) 60 mins Music-theatre For tenor and tape Libretto by Margaret Morgan First performance by Music Theatre Sydney Gerald English (tenor), George Whaley (director), Eamon D'Arcy (designer) Adelaide Festival, The Opera Studio, Adelaide, 8 March 2000 See also the Night and Dreams netpage at www.heliotrope.com.au Casanova Confined (1995) 35 mins Music-theatre For baritone & tape Libretto by Margaret Morgan First performance by the Sydney Metropolitan Opera Lyndon Terracini (Casanova), John Wregg (producer), Dan Potra (designer) Barossa International Festival, Red Floor Theatre, Angaston, South Australia, 6 Octo Whispers (1990) 30 mins Music-theatre For tenor & chamber orchestra Libretto by Rodney Hall 1(=picc)-1(=cor ang)-1(=bass cl)-0 / 1-0-1-0 / 1 perc / pno / 1-0-1-1-1 First performance by Gerald English (tenor & conductor) and the Seymour Group, Ba 1 of 18 15/11/2011 4:13 PM Andrew Ford: compositions http://www.andrewford.net.au/comps.htm#thescattering First performance by Austin Allen De IJsbreker, Amsterdam, February 1984 Wedding Songs (1981) 12 mins For high voice and violin, or low voice and cello Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins, Beaumont & Fletcher, George Chapman, Robert First performance of low-voice version by Austin Allen and Ann Hart St Patrick's Church, Finglas West, Dublin, 8 July 1981 Ensemble The Scattering of Light (2010) 15 minutes for violin, viola, cello and piano Commissioned by the University of Queensland First performance by Elizabeth Sellars, violin, Patricia Pollett, viola, Patrick Murphy, c Liam Viney, piano Customs House, Brisbane, 10 December 2010 Program note Nine Fantasies about Brahms (2009–10) 20 mins For violin, cello and piano Commissioned by TriOz with financial assistance from the Music Board of the Austral Council for the Arts First performance by TriOz Chevalier College, Bowral, NSW, 4 September 2010 Program note The Spirit of the Staircase (2009) 4 mins For violin, cello and piano Commissioned by TriOz with financial assistance from the Music Board of the Austral Council for the Arts First performance by TriOz City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney, 17 November 2009 Variation on a Waltz by Schubert (2009) 2 mins For violin, cello and piano Commissioned by the Seraphim Trio with the support of Ars Musica Australis First performance by the Seraphim Trio Independent Theatre, North Sydney, 8 October 2009 On Winter's Traces (2009) 5 mins For piccolo, bass clarinet, piano, 2 violins, viola and cello Commissioned by the Australia Ensemble in celebration of its 30th birthday First performance by the Australia Ensemble Sir John Clancy Auditorium, University of NSW, Sydney, 18 September 2009 Chorales from an Ox Life (2007/09) 9 mins For viola, cello and double bass First performance by Christa Jardine (viola), Richard Vaudrey (cello), Douglas Ruther (double bass) Australian National Academy of Music, Melbourne, 23 April 2009 Program note See also: Instrumental Sculthorpe Dreaming (2009) 2 mins For string quartet Commissioned by Arts in the Valley (Kangaroo Valley, NSW) to mark Peter Sculthorpe birthday First performance by the Goldner Quartet Kangaroo Valley Golf and Country resort, Kangaroo Valley, NSW, 3 May 2009 A Reel, a Fling and a Ghostly Galliard (String Quartet No. 2) (2006) 10 mins Commissioned by Pamela Pearce and Wally Patterson First performance by Grainger Quartet Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, 5 November 2006 Program note 10 of 18 15/11/2011 4:13 PM Andrew Ford: news http://www.andrewford.net.au/news.htm Illegal Harmonies back in print News archive Performances 2010 May 2011. Andrew Ford's history of 20th century Performances 2011 music, Illegal Harmonies, based on his celebrated Performance archive radio series of the same name, has been republished Most recent CDs in an updated, 3rd edition by Black Inc. Latest books Some of Andrew Ford's books > Buy Illegal harmonies from Readings (Melbourne) no longer available in booksho Contact Andrew directly to purchase a copy of Speaking Tongues - the Songs of Van Morrison (AUD 25 + postage) New book: The Sound of Pictures See also: the Books page. November 2010. Andrew Ford's new book is The Sound of Pictures: Listening to the Movies, from Hitchcock to High Fidelity. Published on 22 Nove 2010 by Black Inc., the book looks at the ways directors have us music and other sounds in more than 400 films. How did Alfred Hitchcock use music to plant clues in his films? Why do some 'm soundtracks work brilliantly and others fall flat? How do classics Clockwork Orange to The Godfather, Cinema Paradiso to High use music and sound effects to enhance what we see on screen In addition to Ford's own essays, there are his interviews with fiv composers Ennio Morricone, Richard Rodney Bennett, Dick Hy Lalo Schifrin and Howard Shore) and five directors (Bruce Beresford, Sally Potter, Wim Wenders, Peter Greenaway and Peter Weir). > Buy The Sound of Pictures online from Readings, Melbourne Premiere of Black Dyke Band Commission November 2010. The world-famous Black Dyke will give the first performance of Andrew Ford's T Rising at Manchester's annual Festival of Brass January 2011. Commissioned by Black Dyke, Th is Ford's first work for brass band and was inspir the terrifying natural phenomenon of Australian b fires. The composer will attend the premiere at the Ro Northern College of Music, which will be conduc Black Dyke's Principal Conductor and Director o 1 of 7 15/11/2011 4:15 PM Andrew Ford: news http://www.andrewford.net.au/news.htm Dr Nicholas Childs. In March 2010, Andrew Ford Black Dyke's headquarters in Queensbury, West Yorkshire, to see the historic band room for himself. In rehearsal, the band still uses th wooden music stands made for it 155 years ago. > Read a program note of The Rising. The Scattering of Light for the University of Queensland November 2010. The climax of the Centenary celebrations of the University of Queen will be the first performance of Andrew Ford's new piano quartet, The Scattering of Lig Commissioned by the University of Queensland in honour of its first hundred years, the 15-minute quartet was written especially for the University's new ensemble in residenc Scattering of Light will be heard for the first time on December 10 at the University's S Dinner. Further (public) performances will follow in 2011. > Read a program note of The Scattering of Light. Oom, pa-pah! The Waltz Book on CD September 2010. Ian Munro's studio recording of The Waltz Book is finally available o (Tall Poppies TP209). The 60 one-minute waltzes were commissioned by Munro in 199 composed over the following four years. Some of the individual waltzes were premiere soon as they were composed, but Munro gave the complete premiere of the work in Ho March 2003. Since then a dozen other pianists have taken up all or the work, playing it in Canada, Finland, Poland, the Un States, the United Kingdom and throughout Australia.