- The Piano Concerto/MGV
Infobox Album
Name = The Piano Concerto/MGV
Type = Studio
Longtype =
Artist =Michael Nyman
Cover size = 200
Caption = Art:Russell Warren-Fischer
from a photograph courtesy ofFrench Railways
Released =March 28 , 1994 (UK )
April 12 , 1994 (USA )
Recorded = January 6-7 1994,Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool (The Piano Concerto)
December 8 & 10, 1993,Air Lyndhurst andHenry Wood Hall (MGV)
Genre = contemporary classical, minimal
Length = 59:03
Language =
Label = Argo
Director =
Producer =Andrew Cornall
Reviews =The Flying Inkpot (favorable) [http://www.inkpot.com/classical/nymanmgv.html]
Compiler =
Chronology =
Last album =Michael Nyman for Yohji Yamamoto
1993
This album =The Piano Concerto/MGV
1994
Next album =À la folie
1994
Misc ="The Piano Concerto/MGV" is the 23rd album by
Michael Nyman , released in 1994. It contains two compositions, "The Piano Concerto" and "MGV". The first is performed byKathryn Stott and theRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Nyman, and the second is performed by theMichael Nyman Band and Orchestra with Michael Nyman at thepiano .The Piano Concerto
"The Piano Concerto" is a
piano concerto based on the music Nyman wrote for "The Piano " organized into four phases (one movement). Thesaxophone is omitted ("Here to There" is given to the piano soloist) and the piano is accompanied by a traditionalorchestra . The work is Nyman's secondconcerto , having previously written asaxophone concerto , "Where the Bee Dances", forJohn Harle ."The Piano Concerto" was first premiered 26 September 1993 at the
Festival de Lille , which was also the debut of "MGV". In hisliner notes . Nyman cites thedefinite article as significant, and states the order of compositon of the work: Autumn 1991, piano music forHolly Hunter to play in the film; Summer 1992, orchestral score for the completed film; concerto commissioned by Festival de Lille in Spring 2003.Jean-Claude Casadesus conducted the premiere of both works. Stott was the premiere soloist.Nyman states that the principal goals of this "reconsideration" threefold: "to create a more coherent structure" for the musical material, elaborates upon the texture for full orchestra (the original was for saxophone and string orchestra), and to make the piano part more virtuostic.
The first phase, in
A minor , is derived from the Scottishfolk song , "Bonny Winter's noo awa "; the second phase is original and chromatic; the third is in G/D major and based on "Flowers of the Forest " (much faster and cut apart) and "Bonnie Jean " "massively slowed down" on cellos, trumpet, and "divisi" violins, and a harmonic phrase derived from material in the first phase, followed by reprises of "Bonny Winter's noo awa" and "Flowers of the Forest."This recording of "The Piano Concerto" runs 32:28.
"The Piano Concerto" has been rerecorded, first in 1996 by Peter Lawson with the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted byJonathan Carney , formerviolin ist andviolist of the Michael Nyman Band, and again in 1997, byJohn Lenehan (who had performed on "The Essential Michael Nyman Band " in 1992) with theUlster Orchestra conducted byTakuo Yuasa , and released onNaxos Records with "Where the Bee Dances" performed bySimon Haram , a relative Michael Nyman Band newcomer at the time who is, as of 2008, still a regular member. This latter version is slightly faster and clocks in two minutes shorter, and features a very strong and precise brass section.MGV: Musique à Grand Vitesse
This recording of "MGV" runs 26:30. It is the only commercial recording to date. "5th Region" appears on the promotional compilation "Michael Nyman".
Track listing
#The Beach 11:48
#The Woods 6:25
#The Hut 9:06
#The Release 5:09
#1st Region 4:56
#2nd Region 4:06
#3rd Region 8:18
#4th Region 3:48
#5th Region 5:22Personnel
Musicians
The Piano Concerto
*
Kathryn Stott , solo piano
*Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra *
Michael Nyman , conductorMGV
The Michael Nyman Band & Orchestra
Michael Nyman Band
*Michael Nyman, piano
*Alexander Balansecu ,violin
*Clare Connors , violin
*Anthony Hinnigan,cello
*John Harle ,soprano saxophone
*David Roach, soprano/alto saxophone
*Andrew Findon ,baritone saxophone /piccolo
*Nigel Barr ,bass trombone
*Martin Elliott ,bass guitar *Michael Nyman, conductor
Crew
*Producer:
Andrew Cornall
*Engineer (The Piano Concerto):Neil Hutchinson
*Engineer (MGV):Michael J. Dutton
*Tape editor:Tim Bull
*MGV mixed atKitsch Studios ,Brussels
*Publisher: Michael Nyman Ltd/Chester Music Ltd
*Design:Russell Warren-Fischer
*Art direction:David Smart
*Michael Nyman photograph:Nigel Parry
*Kathryn Stott photograph:Hanya Chlala
*Liner notes: Michael NymanThis album is the earliest reference to a
Michael Nyman Orchestra , though unlike the band, its members are not credited."Short Cuts"
The album has been issued as a
double album with "Short Cuts", a sampler compilation of music from otherArgo Records albums byGraham Fitkin (2 tracks),Gavin Bryars ,Michael Torke ,Chris Fitkin , Michael Nyman (2 tracks),Henryk Górecki ,Aaron Jay Kernis ,Kevin Volans ,Stanley Myers ,David Byrne ,Michael Gordon ,Robert Moran ,Mark Anthony Turnage , Richard Harris, andPaul Schoenfield . The booklet is double sized rather than having a separate booket, and the track listing is on the inner liner tray. The album is easier to find in the single version. "Short Cuts" is produced byAndrew Cornall , with art direction byDavid Smart and design byRussell Warren-Fischer , consisting of 1/4 page grey squares behind the work deescriptions. Several sales sites have listed "Short Cuts" sampler separately, but none have yet shown a separate album cover.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.