On his blog site http://ericcravencomposer.wordpress.com,
the composer gives no biographical information but, more importantly, does
explain his method of composition, stating that over the last fifteen years or
so he has become increasingly focused on developing an experimental
compositional technique which he refers to as Non-Prescriptive. Essentially this means a method of writing music
which permits the performer to determine some or most of the musical parameters
which normally constitute the bricks and mortar of a piece of music.
Furthermore, the performer may opt to alter these parameters, the consequences
of which result in the particular piece being open to any number of different
interpretations. The performer thus becomes involved in the compositional
process and, as a consequence, the historical relationship of the composer, the
performer and the performance are realigned.
He goes on to state that his Non-Prescriptive technique allows him to give to his music a
freedom of interpretation by not fixing or dictating any performance or
outcome. There is a Lower Order of Non-Prescription where several parameters,
pitch, rhythm and duration of the notes are given. The performer decides upon
such omitted parameters as tempo, dynamics, phrasing, pedalling and the
articulation of the notes. Then there is the Higher Order of Non-Prescription
where only the pitch is given and this pitch is not fixed, it can be played at
any octave above or below the given pitch. The pitches may be played in any
order or repeated or omitted. They may be grouped together vertically to form
chords or clusters. The realisation of the music can commence and end at any
point on the score. This results in the duration of the piece being controlled
and determined by the performer.
Metier www.divine-art.co.uk/metierhome.htm
has already issued a recording of
Craven’s Set for piano realised and
performed by Mary Dullea (MSV 28525). Now they have released a 2 CD collection
of three of his piano sonatas, again realised and performed by Mary Dullea.
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| 2CD msv 28544 |
Given the degree of input from Mary Dullea www.marydullea.com in realising these sonatas, it is only right that I should give some biographical information about her.
A native of Ireland, she studied at The Royal College of
Music, London, with Yonty Solomon and holds a MMus in Contemporary Music
Studies from Goldsmiths University of London and a PhD in Performance from The
University of Ulster
As a soloist and chamber musician, she has performed
internationally at venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall, Casa da Musica
(Porto), Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre, Phillips Collection Washington D.C.,
Symphony Space New York City, Palazzo Albrizzi Venice (Italy), Johannesburg
Music Society and National Concert Hall Dublin.
She has appeared at many Festivals throughout the world and has
broadcast frequently. She has recorded for record labels such as NMC, Delphian
Records, Altarus, Col Legno, MNR, Naxos, Convivium and Lorelt, as well as
Divine Art.
A sought-after interpreter of new music, she has
commissioned and premiered works from composers as varied as Michael Finnissy,
Johannes Maria Staud, Michael Nyman, Donnacha Dennehy and Gerald Barry. Mary Dullea
is the Director of Performance at The University of Sheffield and is also on
the teaching staff of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Craven’s Piano Sonata
No. 7 is constructed as an arch with the fast outer movements sharing the
same material based on the musical interval of a fifth. In this work Craven
uses Low-order Non Prescription.
The first movement
opens with some fine rhythmic playing as the music moves around tonally,
seemingly not rooted other than by the phrasing that gives the music form. A single high note opens the second movement, followed by broader
motifs interspersed by high fragmentary notes. Subtle use of pedal allows the
dying notes to sound beneath the slowly developing theme. Craven’s use of the
piano has a percussive nature, just offset by longer phrases. There is some
especially fine playing from Mary Dullea. Eventually the music develops into
some richer, fuller sounds as the music becomes more dramatic though ending
suddenly, the notes dying away.
The third movement
opens with an oddly attractive, somewhat fragmented theme that develops some
particularly fine moments with, at times, a playful nature to the skipping
notes. The fourth movement brings limpid notes that are scattered around with
strumming of the piano strings. The keyboard motif is interspersed by the
gentle sounds of strummed and plucked strings. Slowly the keyboard phrases
become more dynamic, though always returning to their gentler nature. There is
a great delicacy to Craven’s writing before the music drops away to little
fragments that end the movement.
The fifth and final movement brings some fuller, richer sounds before the music takes
off in a more decisive theme which, like the first movement, moves around
tonally and creates a sense of completion to the whole sonata, showing how much
Craven retains a real sense of form within which to hold his creation. The
music moves decisively forward to the coda.
There are moments in this sonata that some listeners might
find challenging, but overall this is an enormously interesting work, full of
fine moments, played brilliantly by Mary Dullea realising Craven’s ideas to
remarkable effect.
Piano Sonata No. 9 retains
an arch like sonata structure but brings more lyricism. The middle of the three
movements uses Craven’s High-order Non prescriptive technique.
The first movement
opens with an attractive theme that appears to have its roots in British music
of an earlier era, though here given a modern free-flowing twist with harmonies
of a more European outlook. This sixteen minute movement develops through some
quite beautiful ideas, wonderfully realised by Mary Dullea. Craven’s endless
outpouring of melodic ideas is really quite beguiling. Centrally, there is a
particularly lovely section with bell like tones sensitively played by Dullea.
The second movement
introduces a more skittish theme, underlaid by lower chords as the music dances
around somewhat playfully. The deeper, firmer chords offset the lighter feel,
eventually becoming more aggressive and taking the music into a dramatic passage.
The music eventually falls back as it makes its way to the coda but, however,
the violence returns leading to a spectacularly virtuosic and stormy coda.
The third movement
retains a little of the nature of the middle movement but with more of the flow
of the first movement, neither of which seems to be able to dominate, creating
a tension and contrast. When the more flowing, melodic elements appear, they
bring a warmth and assurance.
This is a particularly fine work played with great empathy and understanding.
The second disc in this set is devoted to just one work, the
single movement Piano Sonata No 8. This
work uses Middle-order Non- Prescription methods. Scott McLaughlin, in his
essential booklet note, tells us that Craven’s notation in this sonata presents
the player with snippets of music, presented as singular objects on the page
separated by whitespace. These snippets or events are written in low-order
notation with only pitches and rhythms given, but allow the freedom to vary or
ignore that which is allowed with high-order notation.
As the design of the work is intended to be open ended, the
duration will, of course, vary. Here Mary Dullea realises this sonata as a work
lasting around 48 minutes.
A hesitant little motif built on two notes opens this work
and is developed with, occasionally, elements of Messiaen. Soon the music broadens
a little whilst becoming more dynamic. It moves forward in little surges as a
melodic idea emerges, still broken up by little motifs in the right hand. The
music becomes more skittish and descends into the depths of the keyboard before
moving forward a little more melodically. The surges of melodic and fragmented
staccato ideas continue with many intensely impressive still, quiet moments,
beautifully realised by this pianist.
Eventually the music grows a little passionate but falls
back leading to more staccato phrases. More dynamic deeper chords are sounded
in music that, in the most tantalising way, holds one in its thrall, often
waiting to see how it will develop, when certain motifs and themes will
reappear. Towards the middle of the work, a rolling, vibrant melodic theme
appears, growing faster before quietening and becoming more thoughtful, with
some lovely harmonies. As the sonata moves forward, there are lovely chords
that slowly become discordant.
The music continues to juxtapose the melodic with the
shorter staccato phrases before arriving at some more attractive chords that
resonate and overlay, showing more of Craven’s fine ear for sonority. Indeed,
it is often the sustained resonance of dying chords that adds so much to the
texture of many fine passages in this work. The repeated chords reappear, more
gently this time, adding a magical simplicity before the staccato phrases
return to dominate. Towards the end the
longer melodic phrases peer through again, but it is the broken staccato
phrases that lead slowly to what might have been an open ended coda, except we
are given a little spread chord that adds a conclusion.
This performance is an extremely fine creative achievement
for both Craven and Dullea.
Indeed, all of these performances are a very fine
achievement by Mary Dullea, realising these fascinating and often captivating
works that have moments of real beauty.
The recording made at the Wyastone Concert Hall, Wyastone
Leys, Monmouth, Wales is excellent. Scott McLaughlin’s booklet notes are an
essential addition to this release giving, as they do, detailed information
concerning the music and its construction, interspersed with comments by the
composer.
For those new to Eric Craven’s music, as many will be, I
would recommend listening to his very fine Sonata No.9 first.
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