Happy Harry, 80 today

Happy Harry, 80 today

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norman lebrecht

July 15, 2014

The greatest living English composer is entering a new decade.

Why the greatest?

Because Harrison Birtwistle never does what’s expected of him.

Where his contemporary Peter Maxwell Davies writes symphonies and concertos to commission  by the yard, every Birtwistle work is different, unexpected, sometimes unfathomable, often underlaid with dry wit.

And the titles that are so determinedly no-sell. The Moth Requiem: who else could have pinned that to the wall?

Happy birthday, Harry!

birtwistle adam

Comments

  • Mark Stratford says:

    Check out “Wild Tracks” a recently published conversation diary with FIona Maddocks. On very page there’s a gem from Sir Hal

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