Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20111203 | Sarah Mohr-Pietsch and Robert Worby present the first of four programmes showcasing highlights from this year's Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Mauricio Kagel: Prima Vista Apartment House Thomas Simaku: String Quartet (world premiere) Quatuor Diotima Bent Sørensen and Anna Berit Asp Christensen: Saudades Inocentes Oscar Henning-Jensen (boy soprano) Gert Henning-Jensen (tenor) Guido Paevatalu (baritone) And in the latest instalment of the Hear and Now Fifty, percussionist Steven Schick recalls how a chance meeting with Brian Ferneyhough led to the commission of Bone Alphabet, his only piece for non-pitched instruments; while commentator Paul Griffiths describes the work's physicality and rhythmic complexity. Brian Ferneyhough: Bone Alphabet Steven Schick (percussion). Music by Mauricio Kagel, Thomas Simaku. Plus Hear and Now 50: Ferneyhough's Bone Alphabet. Radio 3's primary contemporary music programme, featuring live performances and sessions |
| 02 | 20111210 | Robert Worby and Sara Mohr-Pietsch introduce more highlights from this year's Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Ensemble Linea from Strasbourg play three UK premieres, including a major work by the leading British composer Brian Ferneyhough. Fabien Levy: Qwerwüchsig Francesco Filidei: Finito ogni gesto Brian Ferneyhough: Chronos Aion Plus, in the latest instalment of the Hear And Now 50, Stephen Fry describes his delight and bewilderment at first hearing Conlon Nancarrow's Study 21 'Canon X' for player piano. Nancarrow devoted his composing life to writing virtuosic canonic studies for this mechanical piano, often 'unspeakably fast' music, as pianist Joanna MacGregor puts it. With music by Fabien Levy and Brian Ferneyhough. Plus Hear And Now 50 with Stephen Fry. Radio 3's primary contemporary music programme, featuring live performances and sessions |
| 03 | 20111217 | Robert Worby and Sara Mohr-Pietsch introduce further highlights from this year's Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, including the UK premiere of James Dillon's String Quartet No.6. Apartment House perform Christian Marclay's Graffiti Composition, the result of posting thousands of sheets of blank manuscript paper on the streets of Berlin in 1996; and Switzerland's basel sinfonietta perform Tim Parkinson's Orchestra Piece, part of a concert programme inspired by the work of Cornelius Cardew's Scratch Orchestra of the early 1970s. And in the latest instalment of the Hear and Now Fifty, original Scratch Orchestra member Howard Skempton recalls his moment of epiphany on encountering Morton Feldman's Extensions 3 for piano. With commentary from music writer Paul Griffiths and excerpts from an archive interview with the composer himself. Christian Marclay: Graffiti Composition James Dillon: String Quartet No.6 Quatuor Diotima Morton Feldman: Extensions 3 John Tilbury (piano) Tim Parkinson: Orchestra Piece basel sinfonietta. With music by Christian Marclay, James Dillon, Tim Parkinson and Morton Feldman. Radio 3's primary contemporary music programme, featuring live performances and sessions |
| 04 | 20111224 | Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Robert Worby introduce performances from the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. The Basel Sinfonietta plays three UK premieres influenced by the Scratch Orchestra: Michael Parsons: Parapahrase James Saunders: things whole and not whole Christian Wolff: Spring Two And in the latest instalment of the Hear and Now Fifty, composer Roxanna Panufnik nominates Arvo P䀀rt's Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, with commentary from music writer Paul Griffiths. P䀀rt's piece has become a minimalist classic, with its tolling funeral bell and descending string patterns expressing his sorrow at the death of a composer he greatly admired. With music by Michael Parsons, James Saunders, Christian Wolff and Arvo Part. Radio 3's primary contemporary music programme, featuring live performances and sessions |