Carter orchestral premieres in Boston and Chicago
(March 2003)
Major new works continue to flow from the pen of 94-year-old composer Elliott Carter, with 2003 bringing world premieres by two of America's leading orchestras. On 3-5 April the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ingo Metzmacher unveils Boston Concerto, which promises to be a showcase for the orchestra's virtuosity. And on 29-31 May Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra premiere Of Rewaking, a new song triptych commissioned for the conductor by The Royal Philharmonic Society in London. Plans are underway for European performances of both works, including Boston Concerto with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on 9 and 10 October in Amsterdam.
Elliott Carter writes in his programme note for Boston Concerto: "The marvellous Boston Symphony was very important to me in the 20s and 30s as a Harvard student. At that time I went every Saturday and stood on the steps of Symphony Hall for a “rush seat” in the balcony. Those years also included singing in the Harvard Glee Club and with the BSO in many of the great choral works. I am so grateful for those years and I have, I hope, written a “thank-you” piece – Boston Concerto. It throws a spotlight on each of the remarkable sections of the orchestra, surrounding them with short orchestral pizzicati sections for the entire group, not unlike the plan of a concerto grosso."
The two new scores, both with durations around 15 minutes, are linked by the words of American poet William Carlos Williams. Boston Concerto is dedicated to Carter's wife Helen, and the score is prefaced by a short verse by Williams equating love with the all-refreshing rain. In Of Rewaking, scored for soprano and chamber orchestra, Carter sets three poems by Williams: The Rewaking, Lear and Shadows – his first songs with orchestral accompaniment since A Mirror on Which to Dwell in 1975.
2003 also brings two new Carter discs. In the spring Bridge releases its latest Carter collection, including the first recording of the Oboe Quartet coupled with the song-cycle Of Challenge and Of Love plus recent instrumental works. The much-awaited premiere recording of Carter's opera What Next? together with the Asko Concerto is due from ECM later in the year. The Pacifica Quartet is touring its acclaimed marathon cycle of all five Carter quartets with performances on 21 February in Chicago, on 8 March in Los Angeles, and European dates planned for the summer. Carter's 95th birthday in December was anticipated by the Nash Ensemble with a portrait concert at the Purcell Room in London on 4 March, which included the UK premiere of the Oboe Quartet.
Visit the Boston Symphony Orchestra website for a video interview with Carter about his new Boston Concerto.
> Further information on Performance: Of Rewaking
> Further information on Work: Boston Concerto
Carter photo: © Meredith Heuer
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