I think of you late at night, in my study, over my brandy.
I imagine you sitting amid your candles and lilies,
keeping your solitary wake. No candle I know holds a candle to your candles
-Harold Pinter, 1977
This piece was planned and named at the end of 2008, before the death of the author of the words that make up its title and epigraph (above). Following the death of Harold Pinter on Christmas Eve 2008, a few important aspects of the piece became obvious to me. Firstly, the piece would have to be dedicated to him, as a kind of elegy, and secondly, for a man whose relationship with the notion of death was a profound and complicated one, it couldn't be an elegy at all, at least not in any ordinary sense. Death, for Pinter, was tragic, humorous, poetic and, above all, a kind of release from earthly din.
I think specifically of the character of Bridget from his 1994 play Moonlight. This central figure in the play represents and sums up, with an indirect elegance synonymous with Pinter’s approach, this complicated relationship. The main melodic theme of the work is identified in the score as the “moonlight” theme, and brings about the final chorale and catharsis of the piece.
Composer Bio: Chris Williams (b. 1986)
Website:
chriswilliamscomposer.com
Australian composer Chris Williams has recently completed a masters in composition at University of Oxford, studying with Professor Robert Saxton. During his studies he was commissioned by Carnegie Hall, where his work ‘San-Shih-Fan’ was premiered in 2012.
His work ‘a golden string’ won the Blake Society’s Prize for composition in 2012. This work was premiered at St James Piccadilly by Aidan Oliver (of Westminster Abbey) and the Philharmonia Voices.
Chris has also worked with the BBC singers, been performed by the Manchester Chamber choir, and previously studied with Master of the Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Other important mentors have included Kaija Saariaho and Nigel Butterley.
from
Kammerklang: Beta,
released August 12, 2015
Composer: Chris Williams
Solo Flute: Jane Bishop
Violins: Victoria Jacono, Victor Wu, Perrin Walker, Ainsley Warner
Violas: John Fahy, Darius Kaperonis
Cellos: George Cayas, Andrea Hissey
Double Bass: Rory Brown
Sound Engineer: Jayson McBride
Performed and recorded live at Kammerklang Ablaze (2014).