Composing Without the Picture Three Movements, Op
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COMPOSING WITHOUT THE PICTURE CONCERT WORKS BY FILM COMPOSERS RICHARD HARWOOD • SOLO CELLO TOCH • RÓZSA • MORRICONE • WILLIAMS • GUNNING MARIANELLI • HEFFES • VELÁZQUEZ • WALLFISCH RES10121 Ernst Toch (1887-1964) Dario Marianelli (b. 1963) Impromptu for Cello Solo in 12. I Think I Do Remember Him (1994) * [8:01] Composing Without the Picture Three Movements, Op. 90c (1963) for solo cello 1. Andante cantabile [2:53] 2. Allegretto grazioso [1:20] Alex Heffes (b. 1971) 3. Adagio, con espressione – quasi 13. Theme from Concert Works by Film Composers der letzte Kampf [4:35] ‘Touching The Void’ (2013) * [6:45] for solo cello and bass drum With thanks to FilmFour / Darlow Smithson Productions Miklós Rózsa (1907-1995) 4. Toccata Capricciosa, Op. 36 (1977) [7:04] Richard Harwood solo cello for solo cello Fernando Velázquez (b. 1976) 14. Tarde, una tarde de mayo (2013) * (Late one afternoon in May) [4:41] Ennio Morricone (b. 1928) for solo cello Riflessi (1989/90) per violoncello solo 5. Riflesso No. 1 [5:19] Benjamin Wallfisch (b. 1979) 6. Riflesso No. 2 [3:03] 15. Prelude (2013) * [2:53] 7. Riflesso No. 3 [9:00] for solo cello John Williams (b. 1932) Total playing time [80:49] Three Pieces (2000) for solo cello 8. Rosewood [6:34] About Richard Harwood: 9. Pickin’ [2:36] 10. The Long Way North [7:13] ‘[...] probably the greatest young 'cello talent since Jacqueline du Pré’ The Strad Christopher Gunning (b. 1944) 11. Variations On A Slavic ‘[...] an articulate musician with zest, spontaneity, technical assurance Theme (2012) * [8:43] and a lovely sense of line […] a major talent’ for solo cello BBC Music Magazine * world premiere recording Composing Without the Picture work with most of the featured living composers on the album, recording many of This new collection of concert works for their film scores. Friendships have developed solo cello consists of composers primarily through this studio work and I’m extremely known for their screen music scores. It grateful for the support and interest they represents the combination of my desire have all shown in this project. to record a solo album of wonderful, but perhaps less established, concert Christopher Gunning, Alex Heffes, works with a selection of entirely Fernando Velázquez and Benjamin Wallfisch new repertoire, and my secondary passion so kindly wanted to write new works for this of music for film. release and I can’t thank them enough for their fantastic new works! Generally, one tends to consider composers most known for their © 2013 Richard Harwood classical concert music who also wrote scores for film; but almost never the other way around. This selection features many talented composers who spend, or have spent, the majority of their professional careers working in film – writing music in their own style whilst bringing the director’s vision to life through melody. Often having almost limitless instrumental forces and effects at their disposal, by contrast, I particularly wanted the repertoire to be for solo cello so we are able to hear what these same composers say with just one instrument and no restrictions from scripts, visuals Richard Harwood or directors. Over a number of years I’ve been lucky to Impromptu for Cello Solo in Three 4. Toccata Capricciosa, Op. 36 (1977) ‘I have a distinct personal memory of the Movements, Op. 90c (1963) for solo cello premiere, which took place at Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) in 1977. 1. Andante cantabile Miklós Rózsa (1907-1995) Rózsa was to be a guest at an academic 2. Allegretto grazioso Known for: Ben-Hur, Spellbound, A Double Life 3. Adagio, con espressione – quasi der film studies conference there in the spring letzte Kampf Fourteen years after Ernst Toch had written of that year. There was a desire to have an his Impromptu movements to celebrate accompanying concert, but arrangements Ernst Toch (1887-1964) Piatigorsky’s 60th birthday, Miklós Rósza could not be made in time for an orchestral Known for: Peter Ibbetson, Address Unknown, program. Rózsa mentioned that there was oduced dedicated the Toccata Capricciosa in memory ed. Ladies in Retirement epr of the great cellist, who had died in August a new cello piece already in the possession eserv 1976. John Fitzpatrick, current President of of János Starker, who was on the faculty As the inscription found on the sheet music the Miklós Rózsa Society, recalls the work’s at Indiana. states, these three Impromptu movements T MUSIC. R T first documented performance: were composed for the hugely renowned ‘It turned out that Starker was to be cellist ‘Gregor Piatigorsky, the friend travelling on the day of the conference. and Grand Master of his instrument, on aph © SCHO So he allowed his student Gary Hoffman his 60th birthday’. Some days following his to play the premiere. It took place, oddly, Photogr birthday, Piatigorsky wrote to Toch on by kind permission. All rights r at eight o'clock in the morning, since the 20 April 1963: ‘Beloved friend and master: Ernst Toch people who had planned the film conference What a joy! What a birthday gift you gave were not entirely familiar with the customs g me dear Ernst! I love your improvisation. I of the music world. Of course it was a con espressione’, a later direction in sa.or am deeply moved, and I am grateful. You z o thrill to be there anyway.’ made my 60th birthday a happy day indeed. the movement states ‘quasi “der letzte Kampf”’, which translates as ‘the last With admiration and friendship.’ While the Toccata is not a work any cellist struggle’; a likely reference to Toch’s own would relish to perform before breakfast – such battle with stomach cancer to which he The opening Impromptu makes ample use of are its huge technical demands – it is a truly finally succumbed some eighteen the overtly lyrical qualities and wide range sa Society / MiklosR z great virtuoso work of the cello repertoire months later on 1 October 1964 at the ó of the instrument, while the second bursts that deserves to be far more widely known. with almost youthful energy and age of 76. mischievousness. Rózsa himself wrote how the Toccata ‘is not an ce: The Miklós R elegy: rather does it reflect something of The final Impromptu of the set provides Sour Piatigorsky’s incomparable vitality, open- particular poignancy. Marked ‘Adagio, heartedness, buoyancy and bravado’. Miklós Rózsa Riflessi (1989/90) The first Riflesso is characterised by a picking cotton itself. In this piece I also tried per violoncello solo constantly growing intensity and a partly to capture some of the energy and drive of 5. Riflesso No.1 improvised quality – while the notes are the old ‘side-slap’ and ‘shoe-slap’ dances 6. Riflesso No.2 supplied by the composer, their individual that brought forth a natural exuberance that 7. Riflesso No.3 values are not provided. This lyrical and couldn’t be quelled by the blanket of ever-expanding line is interspersed with oppression. Ennio Morricone (b. 1928) subtly-changing but whispered tastiera Known for: The Untouchables, The Mission, ‘The Long Way North’ is inspired by the Once Upon a Time in America, figures, each time based on the same The Good The Bad and The Ugly four notes. Rita Dove poem of the same name. When she writes ‘No more rockin’ in Jim Crow’s y of GSA These three Riflessi (Reflections) for solo cello The second and third Riflessi provide perhaps es cradle…’, she describes the indomitable spirit were written in 1989 and 1990 and dedicated the largest possible juxtaposition – the that has always animated the long and to the cellist Mark Varshavsky. relentless drama of the second Riflesso is inspiring African-American journey to freedom. indicated by the marking ‘Velocissimo – aph: Court The music also partly takes the form of a violento – percussivo’. The extended third lullaby in which we might imagine a Photogr mother singing… hush now child – don’t cry… Riflesso begins with a hint of the lyrical qualities John Williams of the first Riflesso, before a dream-like someday… someday! conversation ensues between various ranges of the cello. I thought that the cello might be especially © John Williams well-suited to express the vernacular manner of musical speech and rhythmic inflection Three Pieces for solo cello (2000) that characterize this most important 11. Variations On A Slavic Theme (2012) 8. Rosewood ‘root-source’ of American music. for solo cello Written for Richard / World premiere recording 9. Pickin’ 10. The Long Way North In the first piece, ‘Rosewood’, the cello groans Christopher Gunning (b. 1944) under the crack of the work-gang whip and Known for: La Vie en Rose, Agatha Christie's oduced by kind permission. John Williams (b. 1932) imitates the old steel-fronted guitar played Poirot, Cold Lazarus, When the Whales Came epr Known for: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, by some of the early workers as they tried E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Superman, Jaws to ease the pain of their long hours in the I wrote my Variations on a Slavic Theme in fields. In the summer of the year 2000, I conceived November 2012 at the invitation of Richard an idea to write Three Pieces for Solo Cello Harwood. The short, slow theme is stated at © Simon Oswell. R The second movement, ‘Pickin’’, refers both that might reflect something of the powerful the beginning, and although supposedly to the art of banjo pickin’ and the act of Ennio Morricone with and historic African-American experience. ‘Slavic’ it is in fact my own – I suppose I was violist Simon Oswell (2012) influenced by some Russian music as well part of my own self, as I was seeing a chapter as a desire to write something strongly in my life coming to an end.