Work of the Week - Alexander Goehr: TurmMusik / Tower Music

Throughout a distinguished career spanning nearly 60 years, Alexander Goehr has always been a leading figure in contemporary music, establishing an international reputation and winning numerous awards including a recent British Composer Award for his chamber work Since Brass nor Stone.  In recognition of this the Royal Northern College of Music in partnership with the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester will be presenting “Sing, Ariel, The Music of Alexander Goehr” a two-day celebration of Goehr’s music which starts on 8 June.  Performances of no less than twelve works including Three Pieces for piano, op. 18 and …around Stravinsky, op. 72 will lead to the world première of a major new work, Tower Music, performed by baritone Nigel Robson and the BBC Philhamonic orchestra conducted by H K Gruber on 9 June at BBC Studio 7, Oxford Road, Manchester.

This major new work, commissioned by the BBC, reflects upon the diametrically opposing roles towers can have. The composer writes “Towers embody the idea of climbing upwards, in the spiritual as much as in the physical sense. Their destruction can be regarded as a punishment (or as a rescue) from man’s overwhelming arrogance.” Using texts by Franz Kafka, 17th century mystic Jacob Boehme and Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Goehr explores man’s desire to build towers to draw closer to God whilst the workers feel nothing but despair at the fruitlessness of such a task.

Nigel Robson will also be performing the role of Gloucester in Goehr’s new opera Promised End which will be presented by English Touring Opera and conducted by Ryan Wigglesworth at the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera house on 9 October before touring Malvern, Cambridge, Exeter and Snape with further dates to be announced.

• Alexander Goehr - Profile
  
• Details on the Website of the Royal Northern College of Music