Honey Gathering Song (1989)
for flute and piano or harpsichord or fortepiano
Revised 1999
African Journal No 9
Dedicated to Bridget Crowley
Publisher: Bardic Edition
Score and instrumental part BDE 554
Available from Goodmusic Publishing
Duration: c. 8 minutes
Première
First performance: Friday 28 April 2000; Beethoven Room, Grahamstown, South Africa; Anne LaBerge flute, Michael Blake piano.
Further performances: 4.05.2000; Wits University, Johannesburg; Anne LaBerge flute, Michael Blake piano 21.09.2000; Stichting Logos, Gent, Belgium; Anne LaBerge flute, Michael Blake piano (European premiere) 9.09.2001; Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires; Grupo Encuentros (South American premiere) 3.05.2003; Brighton Festival; Ixion (UK premiere) 24.05.2003; BBC Radio 3; Ixion (First broadcast) 5.06.2007; Second Glance, London; Chamber Music Company (London premiere) 14.08.2011; Second Flute Festival Singapore; Douglas Scott flute, Jaclyn Scott piano (Asian premiere)
Programme note
Honey Gathering Song was originally composed in 1989 as a piece for dance (choreographed by Gill Clarke and titled For the Off). Revising it in 1999 as a concert piece I expanded the more interesting material and scrapped that which seemed less interesting. I approached the traditionally problematic medium of flute and piano by integrating the two instruments through the use of almost identical material and by bringing their timbres as close together as possible in interlocking or heterophonic textures. Pieces with the title Honey Gathering Song can be found among the music of the pygmy communities in Central Africa. While I make use of African materials and compositional techniques, generally filtered or paraphrased, there is no direct reference to pygmy music in this piece. The revised version was premiered in Grahamstown, South Africa in 2000 by Anne Laberge and Michael Blake. The piece also exists as a Quartet for flute, violin, viola and cello.
for flute and piano or harpsichord or fortepiano
Revised 1999
African Journal No 9
Dedicated to Bridget Crowley
Publisher: Bardic Edition
Score and instrumental part BDE 554
Available from Goodmusic Publishing
Duration: c. 8 minutes
Première
First performance: Friday 28 April 2000; Beethoven Room, Grahamstown, South Africa; Anne LaBerge flute, Michael Blake piano.
Further performances: 4.05.2000; Wits University, Johannesburg; Anne LaBerge flute, Michael Blake piano 21.09.2000; Stichting Logos, Gent, Belgium; Anne LaBerge flute, Michael Blake piano (European premiere) 9.09.2001; Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires; Grupo Encuentros (South American premiere) 3.05.2003; Brighton Festival; Ixion (UK premiere) 24.05.2003; BBC Radio 3; Ixion (First broadcast) 5.06.2007; Second Glance, London; Chamber Music Company (London premiere) 14.08.2011; Second Flute Festival Singapore; Douglas Scott flute, Jaclyn Scott piano (Asian premiere)
Programme note
Honey Gathering Song was originally composed in 1989 as a piece for dance (choreographed by Gill Clarke and titled For the Off). Revising it in 1999 as a concert piece I expanded the more interesting material and scrapped that which seemed less interesting. I approached the traditionally problematic medium of flute and piano by integrating the two instruments through the use of almost identical material and by bringing their timbres as close together as possible in interlocking or heterophonic textures. Pieces with the title Honey Gathering Song can be found among the music of the pygmy communities in Central Africa. While I make use of African materials and compositional techniques, generally filtered or paraphrased, there is no direct reference to pygmy music in this piece. The revised version was premiered in Grahamstown, South Africa in 2000 by Anne Laberge and Michael Blake. The piece also exists as a Quartet for flute, violin, viola and cello.
