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'LANDSCAPES'
The Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble embark on their third recording project entitled "Landscapes". The recording will feature eight new commissions from around the globe including works from the UK's Colin Towns and renowned Australian composer, Nigel Butterley, whose composition 'Figments', was completed in fall 2004. Other pieces will include compositions from USA, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil and Croatia. More information to follow shortly.
About the Composers: Nigel Butterley (b.1935)
Since the instrumental octet Laudes (1963) Nigel Butterley has been recognised as one of the foremost Australian composers of his generation. His output includes chamber muisic, the orchestral Meditations of Thomas Traherne (1968) and From Sorrowing Earth (1991), the opera Lawrence Hargrave Flying Alone (1988), and music for choir, vocal ensemble and solo vioce. He was awarded the Italia Prize for In the Head the Fire (1966) and the Paul Lowin Orchestral Prize for Spell of Creation (2001), for soloists, choir and orchestra.
As a pianist Nigel Butterley has been interested in accompanying and in exploring the piano duet and two-piano repertoire; he is known for his many performances throughout Australia of Messiaen's Visions of the Amen and John Cage's Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano.
Lecturer in contemporary music at Newcastle Conservatorium from 1973-1991, Nigel Butterley currently teaches composition at Sydney Conservatorium and lectures for the University of Sydney's Centre for Continuing Education. He holds an honorary doctorate in music from Newcastle University, and is a Member of the Order of Australia.
From the Composers: Nigel Butterley: 'Figments for Brass Octet'
"When Graham Ashton invited me to write an octet for his Brass Ensemble my first idea was to begin by drawing on the heavy chordal writing for antiphonal brass in the large choral work, Spell of Creation, which I had recently completed. Then he specified that there should be six pieces, each no longer than minute, and never becoming louder than forte. This was a much more interesting prospect, and set new ideas in motion.
For me writing even a one-minute piece tends to be a slow process, so an obsolete meaning of the word figment,'something moulded or fashioned' (OED), suggested the choice of title."
Nigel Butterley, Stanmore, NSW, Australia/December 2004
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