Audio

Some pieces about memory and the invocation of invisible presences 

Mother Tongue (2005), libretto by Patricia Sykes
ELISION conducted by Jean Deroyer, Pia Komsi, soprano

The complete 40 minute work can be heard on ABC Classic-FM’s ‘Rewind’
Australian Music Archive.
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Machine for Contacting the dead (2000), a 40-minute work for 27 musicians also commissioned by the Ensemble Intercontemporain, originally to accompany an exhibition of archaeological treasures from the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng. Premiered at the Cité de la Musique, Paris in February 2000, EIC conducted by Jonathan Nott with soloists: Alain Billard, contrabass clarinet, Pierre Strauch, ‘cello.

Mvt 3: Memory Body is the intimate core of the work – a harp, water-gong and alto trombone play a mourning song accompanied by breathy brushed strokes of muted strings

In this excerpt from the very end of the work, Mvt 5: Ritual Bells, 5 musicians bowing and striking the piano strings build up a powerful wave of sound together with the brass instruments against which an oboe, a violin and finally a contrabass clarinet trace convulsive calligraphic gestures.

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And here’s something from near the beginning of my compositional story…

The Oresteia (1991-93), an opera based on Aeschylus’ trilogy with libretto adapted from Tony Harrison’s powerful translation. The work received 14 performances at Theatreworks in Melbourne in 1993 in a production by Treason of Images directed by Barrie Kosky, singers: Jeannie van de Velde, Julie Edwardson, Deborah Kayser, Andrew Muscat Clarke, Tyrone Landau, Grant Smith and Shelley Lasica (dancer), ELISION conducted by Sandro Gorli. The score is published by Ricordi Milano; the Dischi Ricordi CD is now out of print and so the full work is here with the permission of ELISION.