BBC Radio 3 commissions 25 new works
OrchestrasThe idea is to reflect each of the years of the first quarter of the 21st century.
The works will premiere on Tom Service’s Saturday Morning programme from January 25.
Anna Clyne (pic) has chosen the year 2000, Stephen Hough 2001, Errollyn Wallen 2012, Thea Musgrave 2022-3. Other composers include Karl Jenkins, Rakhi Singh, Gavin Higgins and Nkeiru Okoye.
There will also be a daylong Boulez bash on the composer’s centenary on March 25.
Oh that looks really nice, especially the last line. I’ll make sure I have a free day then!
Sally
You didn´t get a comission?
Gosh, its going to include some male composers. A step forward for diversity at the BBC.
What a mysogynistic comment. Does it really need to be pointed out that until about 20 years ago only male composers would have been picked?
To any living composer, the gender of generations of dead composers does not translate into an income.
Service will just talk over them all, like he does with everything else.
And, in the process, say nothing.
Yes. I believe he has his eye on Starmer’s job…
Well done BBC. We need new music to be composed whether one likes it or not.
Reminds me of the 50 new works commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic to celebrate 10-year anniversary of Walt Disney Concert Hall. Not one work has survived beyond the anniversary year.
In itself that does not say very much, because nowadays there is no longer some kind of ‘filter’ that can sift out the better works. This is due to the absence of a framework of musical standards. And this is the result of the enormous variety of music types that is around. Who is going to say that this or that work is better than the rest, and on which basis? Such claims would immediately be laughed away as biassed, elitist and excluding difference. So, anything goes, and works that can be marketed more easily than others, have priority – so, the fashion of the day decides what can be heard: women, young, woke, anti-racist, pro-climate, inclusive, underdog, etc. etc. and all unrelated to the actual musical content because that has become much too difficult and dangerous to establish.
But with some luck there may still be truly good works that are helped by the wrapping paper – again, because of their qualities unrelated to it.
Why is the BBC promoting this so early?
They obviously can’t count as we haven’t completed the first 24 years of the 20th Century yet!
The 25th year isn’t completed until 31st December 2025.
I personally prefer ‘new’ works that are neglected, rediscovered masterpieces from the past, such as Schumann’s “Paradise of the Peri” and works by William Grant Still.
Why isn’t there any commissions by Sir John Rutter? Isn’t he 80 next year?
If Carl Jenkins is on the list, why not Rutter – he’s a far skillful British Composer!