IDAGIO | Birtwistle: The Fields of Sorrow - Verses for Ensembles - Nenia: The Death of Orpheus 5020926030627

Featuring

David Atherton
Jane Manning
Alan Hacker
London Sinfonietta Chorus
London Sinfonietta
Matrix Ensemble

Harrison Birtwistle

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Composer's Artistic Vision

The works Nenia: The Death of Orpheus and The Fields of Sorrow are satellite pieces for Birtwistle's large-scale opera The Mask of Orpheus, exploring a new lyrical musical language for his retelling of the Orpheus legend.

Recording & Production

This album's original analogue master recordings were made in 1973 with the composer's cooperation and first released in 1974 on Decca HEAD 7.

Composer Biography

While at college, Birtwistle formed the New Music Manchester Group with fellow musicians Peter Maxwell Davies, Alexander Goehr, and John Ogdon, dedicated to performing new music.

Composition History

The three works on this disc by Sir Harrison Birtwistle date from a significant period of transition in his music, influenced by two contrasting operas.

Compositional Technique

In Verses for Ensembles, Birtwistle requires musicians to move during performance, turning the platform into a stage and specifying physical movement between positions.