James MacMillan
I got a CD of James MacMillan's Cello sonatas recently.
I'm not the worlds biggest fan of contemp, but this guy does it for me! The Sonatas are quite virtuosic and their composition has been well thought out (not like the music of guys like Birtwhistle).
I'm going to look out for his Venni Venni Emanuel - the one mvt. marimba concerto! I think I'll take a butchers at his vocal music as well.
Has anyone had any experience with this fine fellow? I'll be interested to hear your opinions!
When all the paint has been dried, when all the stone has been carved, music shall remain, and we shall work with what remains.
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I have a little experience of him, and have met him just the once. I would definately recommend the vocal music.. though I didn't see his opera "The Sacrifice" but I didn't get a lot of great reviews from people..
There is also a great piece that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of.. it's about witches though.. anyone know which one I mean??
I love his Mass! It is simple, yet full of passion! James MacMillan Mass and other sacred music, put out by Hyperion, has a lot of good stuff!
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Sorry for a belated (4 years!) response, but, if by this time you still need to know, that piece about witchhunting by MacMillan is entitled THE CONFESSION OF ISOBEL GOWDIE (which premiered at the 1990 Proms).Originally Posted by Drowning_by_numbers
Last edited by Prodromides; May-01-2012 at 03:44.
I'm not that much of a fan of the contemporary too, yet MacMillan is exquisite!
I recently bought a cd of his 'Seven Last Words', a brilliant piece, with interesting relationships between the liturgical text and the way it is represented in the music. The fifth part of this piece, for example has very strong disonnants, that sound like the hammer, with whom He was nailed to His Cross. A very beautiful piece, that requires some intensive listening. Highly recommended.
I will check out the cello sonates soon!
One of my favourite contemporary composers - I will collect everything of his that I can lay my hands on. For the record, Veni Veni Emmanuel is a percussion concerto, not a marimba concerto (yes, I know, marimba is percussion, but the other way around does not work).
I treat my music like I treat my pets. It’s something to own, care about and curate with attention to detail. From a blog by hjr.
Recently heard his 'Credo' at the Proms. Am definitely warming to him.
Just so many people writing lovely, but to my inexpert ear often rather similar choral music now - tend personally to go for the Baltic composers, but Macmillan...just fine !
I "discovered" James MacMillian as a result of my continual search for Modern and Contemporary choral music. I would very much recommend his Seven Last Words from the Cross (on Naxos):
the Miserere and other works recorded by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen:
Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.
Art is never chaste. It ought to be forbidden to ignorant innocents, never allowed into contact with
those not sufficiently prepared. Yes, art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art.
Pablo Picasso
I don't know James, but Ernest.
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