Michael Mantler 'One Chamber Symphony and more' (A/GB/AUS)
Michael Mantler: compositions, arrangements
Christoph Cech: conductor
Gareth Davis: bass clarinet
Joanna Lewis: violin
Anne Harvey-Nagl: violin
Lena Fankhauser: viola
Asja Valcic: cello
Maximilian Kanzler: vibraphone
David Helbock: piano
PROGRAM
Chamber Music Eight (originally commissioned and performed by the Max Brand Ensemble in 2012, now revised and re-orchestrated)
Something There (an instrumental interpretation of the original version sung by Jack Bruce on the Many Have No Speech album of 1987 (ECM/WATT/19))
something there
where
out there
out where
outside
what
the head what else
something there
somewhere
outside the head
at the faint sound so brief
it is gone
and the whole globe
not yet bare
the eye
opens wide
wide
till in the end
nothing more
shutters it again
so the odd time
out there
somewhere
out there
like as if
as if something
not life
necessarily
(Copyright © 1975 by Samuel Beckett and New Departures, re-printed by permission)
Something There Suite (revised and condensed material culled from the Something There album of 1982 (ECM/WATT/13) that featured Mike Stern, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Nick Mason, and the London Symphony Orchestra Strings)
One Chamber Symphony (Parts 1- 4, Epilogue) (The original version of One Symphony was commissioned and recorded by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (ECM 1721), and has not been performed again since its premiere in 1998. The basic concept for it was that of "symphony" in its most elementary form - simply the utilization of a relatively large number and variety of instruments to perform musical materials organized to create a larger whole with a logical continuity. There was no programmatic content or message and its neutral title was chosen to suggest it being one of many possible symphonies. For this concert it will be presented in a new, quite drastically revised version.)
What Else To Say (instrumental version of a song from the Comment c’est album of 2016 (ECM 2537))
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In view of the catastrophic economic realities of today’s music business I have stated on various occasions that it has become difficult for me to maintain enough enthusiasm to continue producing new music. I also feel that I have exploited my own musical universe as much as is perhaps desirable or necessary. Which doesn't mean the music shouldn't be presented more often. There exist plenty of compositions that have been performed publicly only once. More performances of original or updated versions would certainly be possible and interesting - a thought that has indeed already spawned a number of projects, such as "The Jazz Composer’s Orchestra Update" (https://www.mantlermusic.com/Records/Rec_comp/Rec_comp_sgles/jco_update.htm) the "Orchestra Suites" (https://www.mantlermusic.com/Records/Rec_comp/Rec_comp_sgles/coda.htm) and "Sempre Notte" (https://www.mantlermusic.com/Records/Rec_comp/Rec_comp_sgles/sempre_notte.htm) all presented live and recorded at Porgy & Bess, which has been, in fact, the home for most of my music already since 2006 (!)
Still, not being able to simply NOT working, I find myself again with a new series of “re-editions” of existing compositions for this concert. Every time I re-consider an old work I always discover elements that can be “improved” by (sometimes severely) editing and differently orchestrating, essentially turning such a re-interpretation into a quite new composition. Always having considered myself as an “orchestral” composer, I have, dictated by economic restrictions, chosen what I would now consider my “minimal” ensemble – one that could nevertheless accommodate my approach to composing – a group consisting of (open-minded) classical as well jazz musicians, a concept that still anchors the music in an environment clearly coming from jazz.
PROGRAM
My "One Symphony" (https://www.mantlermusic.com/Records/Rec_comp/Rec_comp_sgles/song_one%20symphony.htm) was commissioned and recorded by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, and has not been performed again since its premiere in 1998. The basic concept for it was that of "symphony" in its most elementary form - simply the utilization of a relatively large number and variety of instruments to perform musical materials organized to create a larger whole with a (to me, anyway) logical continuity. There was no programmatic content or message and its neutral title was chosen to suggest it being one of many possible symphonies. For this concert it will be presented in a new, quite drastically revised version as "One Chamber Symphony".
"Chamber Music Eight" was commissioned and performed by the Max Brand Ensemble in 2012, as was "Song for Winds" (now entitled "Après / Intolérance"), an instrumental version of some materials from what was, at the time, a work-in-progress, namely the song cycle "Comment C’est" (https://www.mantlermusic.com/Records/Rec_comp/Rec_comp_sgles/comment.htm) which was eventually premiered and recorded (as usual, at Porgy & Bess) in 2016. (Michael Mantler)
Part II: Sa 1. Mai 2027 https://porgy.at/events/13315/
Part III: Sa 4. September 2027 https://porgy.at/events/13316/