Musical wizard Laurence Crane
British composer Laurence Crane (1961) doesn’t need much to build mesmerising sound castles. Each piece is a tonal, elementary sound world in which everything seems easy, but nothing is less true. Time and again, Crane manages to shed surprising new light on essential, unadorned elements such as the eternal triad or comfortably familiar chords and intervals. He creates calm music, stripped to the bone for piano or chamber ensemble, often meant as an intimate tribute to friends, musicians and fellow composers. Within European minimal music, Laurence Crane occupies an entirely unique, poetic place. Tonight you’ll hear a selection of his best chamber music works he wrote for his favourite ensembles, including the British Apartment House and the Dutch Ives Ensemble.
Playlist:
1. ‘20th Century Music’ (1999), for piano, from Laurence Crane: 20th Century Music. Michael Finnissy (piano). Metier msv28506 CD
2. ‘Trio for Ros and Peter’ (1989), for violin, cello and piano, from Laurence Crane: 6 Trios, 2 Solos and 1 Quintet.
Ives Ensemble. Nimbus Alliance NI6337 CD
3. ’10.000 Green Bottles’ (1986), for violin, cello and piano, from Laurence Crane: 6 Trios, 2 Solos and 1 Quintet.
Ives Ensemble. Nimbus Alliance NI6337 CD
4. ‘Sparling 2000’ (2000), version for string quartet and clarinet, from Laurence Crane: Chamber Works 1992-2009.
Apartment House ensemble. Another Timbre at74x2 CD
5. ‘John White in Berlin’ (2003), for cello, guitar, percussion and piano, from Laurence Crane: Chamber Works 1992-2009.
Apartment House ensemble. Another Timbre at74x2 CD
6. ‘Riis’ (1996) for clarinet, cello and electric organ, from Laurence Crane: Chamber Works 1992-2009.
Apartment House ensemble. Another Timbre at74x2 CD
7. ‘Movement for 10 musicians’ (2003) for ensemble, from Laurence Crane: Movement (for 20th anniversary Ives Ensemble).
Ives Ensemble (live September 2005). Private Publication IVES001 CD
8-11. ‘Piano Quintet’ in four parts (2011) from Laurence Crane: 6 Trios, 2 Solos and 1 Quintet.
Ives Ensemble. Nimbus Alliance NI6337 CD
12. ‘Blue Blue Blue’ (1986) for piano, from Laurence Crane: 20th Century Music.
Michael Finnissy (piano). Metier msv28506 CD
13. ‘Piano Piece no. 23 ‘Ethiopian Distance Runners’ (2009), from Laurence Crane: Chamber Works 1992-2009.
Philip Thomas (piano). Another Timbre at74x2 CD
