The effect of her playing on me is that I feel privileged to be invited to a very religious ritual.’
The words of American composer Morton Feldman, who died twenty years ago. He was talking about none other than Japanese pianist Aki Takahashi, who will visit Ireland for the first time in December to perform at the Printing House Festival of New Music.
No one can deny Feldman his towering presence. Known chiefly for writing very long, very quiet pieces, Feldman did more than make his mark on the music of our time. He both opened up and restricted the possibilities for those to follow, providing composers permission to write what they wanted to hear in a climate of highly systematic composition, yet casting an impressive shadow, which composers would find it difficult to evade. ‘Life After Feldman’ follows the meandering stands of his influence, from composers who work happily under that shadow, to those who have attempted to evade it completely.
The festival is enclosed by two of Feldman’s own works. The first, The King of Denmark is an early piece for percussion, so quiet, that its performer, Richard O’Donnell chooses to remove his shoes. Aki Takahashi is joined by ex-Arditti Quartet cellist Rohan de Saram and Canadian violinist Marc Sabat to perform Feldman’s Trio, a much later, longer work which encapsulates the delicate beauty of his later period.
Over two days of music, we collate the diverse fruits of Feldman’s influence, not only in North America, but also in Ireland, England, Germany and Japan. With additional performances from the RIAM Percussion Ensemble, Contempo String Quartet, Ensemble Imp, Ronan Guilfoyle and the Dublin Guitar Quartet, and three new festival-commissioned works by Donnacha Dennehy, Seán Clancy and Aengus Ó Maoláin, PHFNM 07 presents dozens of Irish and world premiéres on an open and accessible platform. Admission is free to all events, but advance booking is advised.
The words of American composer Morton Feldman, who died twenty years ago. He was talking about none other than Japanese pianist Aki Takahashi, who will visit Ireland for the first time in December to perform at the Printing House Festival of New Music.
No one can deny Feldman his towering presence. Known chiefly for writing very long, very quiet pieces, Feldman did more than make his mark on the music of our time. He both opened up and restricted the possibilities for those to follow, providing composers permission to write what they wanted to hear in a climate of highly systematic composition, yet casting an impressive shadow, which composers would find it difficult to evade. ‘Life After Feldman’ follows the meandering stands of his influence, from composers who work happily under that shadow, to those who have attempted to evade it completely.
The festival is enclosed by two of Feldman’s own works. The first, The King of Denmark is an early piece for percussion, so quiet, that its performer, Richard O’Donnell chooses to remove his shoes. Aki Takahashi is joined by ex-Arditti Quartet cellist Rohan de Saram and Canadian violinist Marc Sabat to perform Feldman’s Trio, a much later, longer work which encapsulates the delicate beauty of his later period.
Over two days of music, we collate the diverse fruits of Feldman’s influence, not only in North America, but also in Ireland, England, Germany and Japan. With additional performances from the RIAM Percussion Ensemble, Contempo String Quartet, Ensemble Imp, Ronan Guilfoyle and the Dublin Guitar Quartet, and three new festival-commissioned works by Donnacha Dennehy, Seán Clancy and Aengus Ó Maoláin, PHFNM 07 presents dozens of Irish and world premiéres on an open and accessible platform. Admission is free to all events, but advance booking is advised.
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