review for confluences

"Roth’s grateful, mellifluous settings of Seth’s resonant texts were exquisitely delivered by James Gilchrist, with Rustem Hayroudinoff an eloquent accompanist."

this four-star review for the final year of Confluences has just landed. Seven Elements is due to be performed in Lichfield on 15 July.

in tune

I think I new this was happening in advance, but if, like me, you missed Confluences being discussed by Stewart Collins and Vikram Seth last night on Radio 3's In Tune and wanted to hear it again, go to here for the next seven days. There is also a sneak preview of Fire by Alec Roth performed by Philippe Honore and Rustem Rayroudinoff. It all starts about 1 hour 10 mins in...
[actually, having just listened to it, Vikram recites both his Earth and Fire poems from Seven Elements - wonderful stuff]

confluences review

here is a review of the final Confluences installment from last week. For the first time in four years, the Times didn't make it to the first performance, although I understand that they are trying to get to the Chelsea performance next week, as is the Guardian who visited Lichfield last year. I received the review ticket requests from the Birmingham Post yesterday, and it seems that they intend reviewing the Lichfield performance.

Also, both Vikram Seth and Philippe Honore will be joining Alec Roth and me for a pre-concert conversation about the four year journey at 6.30pm on Wednesday 15 July, just before the project concludes.

seven elements on radio 3

just found out that BBC Radio 3 plan to record the fourth and final part of the Confluences Project on 15 July. If 'hat trick' is three in a row, what is the word for four in a row?
I'll be down in Salisbury on Monday for the world premiere at the Salisbury Festival.

schubert songs just in

with impeccable timing, just on the cusp of going on public sale (18 mins to go as I write), I have received the list of Schubert songs proposed by James Gilchrist for Seven Elements. Mirroring the elements explored by Vikram Seth and Alec Roth, the following songs are likely to be performed, but are awaiting final confirmation (that is why there is currently a choice for Metal).

Space
Die Sterne (Leitner) Wie blitzen die Sterne so Hell durch die Nacht
Water
Am Meer (Heine) Das Meer erglänzte wiet hinaus (Schwanengesang)
Metal
Das Zügenglöcklein (Seidl) Kilng, die Nacht durch, klinge
Fire
Der Einsame (Lappe) Wenn meine Grille schwirren
Wood
Der Lindenbaum (Müller) Am Brunnen vor dem Tore (Winterreise)
Air
Frühlingsglaube (Uhland) Die Linden Lüfte sind erwacht
Earth
Im Abendrot (Lappe) O wie schön ist deine Weld

[Updates 1.32pm 21 April]

haunted by the traveller

monday evening, driving back late from a meeting in Derby, was my first opportunity to hear a recording of BBC Radio 3's 6 March broadcast of The Traveller. The thrill of the performance came flooding back and an hour flashed by as I sang along in an attempt to relive the experience. There was also so much more happening than I had been aware of on the day. Since monday, I've again been haunted by Alec Roth's music and Vikram Seth's turns of phrase, and I've grabbed as many opportunities to listen to it again since. A friend visiting, who overheard the recording, said 'I know this' despite never before hearing it, and I think that sums up Alec's extraordinary ability to write music that you feel you've always known. While we should be planning to get Ex Cathedra's performance of Shared Ground recorded, the idea of a proper recording of The Traveller, possibly combining all three original choirs, would be a fabulous thing to get off the ground.

So, I am very much looking forward to this year's Festival Chorus event. With the original plans unfortunately cancelled, Black Voices have stepped in and are quietly planning a very exciting event for 14 July. Initial discussions have been based around performing music by Peter Daley and Sara Colman (who performed as part of The Passion last year) alongside the huge amount and variety of music that Black Voices would normally bring. I may even sing again this year.

shared ground on Radio 3 today

around 2.50pm today on BBC Radio 3, the recording of Alec Roth's and Vikram Seth's Shared Ground, taken at the 2007 Lichfield Festival, will finally be broadcast. Performed by Ex Cathedra, and with interjections from violinist Philippe Honore performing Roth's Ponticelli for solo violin, these pieces were musically inspired by the solo violin and double choir works of J S Bach with Vikram's texts based on George Herbert. If you are listening earlier you'll also hear Ex Cathedra perform Bach's Komm, Jesu, Komm!, BWV229.

The poem above both captures and represents the image of a lone oak tree reflected in a small lake of still water, with the tree existing above and below the water line. Below is the actual oak tree referred to in Seth's poem, but without the reflection from the storm the evening before. More of Seth's Shared Ground poems with an interview can be found here.

opportunity to hear songs in time of war

Songs in Time of War, the first of the four-year Confluences project involving Vikram Seth and Alec Roth, finally appears to have a wee life of its own. While in Bristol over the weekend, I spotted it was being performed by the original lineup of Mark Padmore, Morgan Szymanski, Alison Nicholls and Philippe Honore at St George's Bristol on Friday 6 February. More information here.
The final year of this project receives it's first performance in Salisbury on 1 June, in Chelsea on 16 June, and Lichfield on 15 July.

The Traveller on Radio 3

just found out that both The Traveller and Shared Ground by Alec Roth and Vikram Seth, recorded in Lichfield Cathedral during the 2008 and 2007 festivals respectively, will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3's Afternoon on 3 during the week beginning 1 March 2009. They are still being scheduled, and things might change, but I'll detail and link from here as exact details become available. The Traveller was the third of the four-year Confluences project, was the inaugural performance by the Lichfield Festival Chorus, and received a four-star review in the Guardian.
Confluences' final year is Seven Elements weaving the themes of China, Europe and India together into two new works. Lichfield Festival Chorus' second year is likely to be a work for choir and jazz saxophone...

confluences iv

the first meeting to discuss the fourth and final installment of the four-year Confluences project took place down in Salisbury earlier this week. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be there, but Alec sent out his initial thoughts after meeting with Vikram Seth, and Philippe Honore. While the three festivals have yet to go through budgets, dates, performers and repertoire at a meeting in London over coming weeks, it seems after last year's Six Ages of Man theme, next year is provisionally based on the Seven Elements and it will be for much smaller forces.