The first movement of "Pieces About Art," titled 'Artist Refuses Request,' uses a text loosely based on an email from the Artists Rights Society refusing permission to use another artist's words.
Composition History
The second movement, 'Writing About Art,' incorporates text from an essay by writer Michael Bracewell on the British artist John Stezaker, originally for a Whitechapel Gallery catalogue.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Both movements of "Pieces About Art" share a narrative theme of struggle, whether it's the struggle to gain permission for a text or the struggle to effectively write about art.
Recording & Production
This performance of "Pieces About Art" was recorded and broadcast live by the BBC at the Albemarle Music Centre on July 1, 2017.
Composer's Artistic Vision
For "Pieces About Art," composer Laurence Crane decided to set words written by someone else, a departure from his previous vocal music where he wrote or compiled the texts himself.
Performer Biography
EXAUDI, one of the world's leading vocal ensembles for new music, was founded in 2002 by director James Weeks and soprano Juliet Fraser.
Composition History
Laurence Crane's "Pieces About Art" was commissioned in 2014 by the EXAUDI vocal ensemble, supported by the Britten-Pears Foundation.
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