The Music Of Michael Nyman

Composer Michael Nyman's classic 1974 account of the postwar experimental tradition in music.

For over three decades Michael Nyman's music has succeeded in reaching beyond the small community of contemporary music aficionados to a much wider range of listeners. An important element in unlocking the key to Nyman's success lies in his writings about music, which preoccupied him for over a decade from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. During this time Nyman produced over 100 articles, covering almost every conceivable musical style and genre - from the Early Music revival and the West's interest in 'world' music, or from John Cage and minimalism to rock and pop. Nyman initiated a number of landmark moments in the course of late twentieth-century music along the way: he was one of the first to critique the distinction between the European avant-garde and the American experimental movement; he was the first to coin the term 'minimalism' in relation to the music of (then largely unknown) Steve Reich and Terry Riley, and later Philip Glass; the first to seriously engage with the music of the English experimental tradition and the importance of Cornelius Cardew, and to identify the importance of Art Colleges in nurturing and developing a radical alternative to modernism; and one of the first writers to grasp the significance of post-minimalists such as Brian Eno and Harold Budd, and to realize how these elements could be brought together into a new aesthetic vision for his own creative endeavours, which was formulated during the late 1970s and early 80s. Much of what transformed and defined Nyman's musical character may be found within the pages of this volume of his writings, comprehensively edited and annotated for the first time, and including previously unpublished material from Nyman's second interview with Steve Reich in 1976. There is also much here to engage the minds of those who are interested in pre-twentieth century music, from Early and Baroque music (Handel and Purcell in particular) to innovative features in Haydn, spatial elements in Berlioz, or Bruckner and Mahler's symphonic works.

Nyman's rise to international prominence during the last three decades has made him one of the world's most successful living composers. His music has nevertheless been criticized for its parasitic borrowing of other composers' ideas and for its relentless self-borrowing. In this first book-length study in English, Pwyll ap Siôn places Nyman's writings within the general context of Anglo-American experimentalism, minimalism and post-minimalism, and provides a series of useful contexts from which controversial aspects of Nyman's musical language can be more clearly understood and appreciated.

Nyman's rise to international prominence during the last three decades has made him one of the world's most successful living composers. His music has nevertheless been criticized for its parasitic borrowing of other composers' ideas and for its relentless self-borrowing. In this first book-length study in English, Pwyll ap Silaces Nyman's writings within the general context of Anglo-American experimentalism, minimalism and post-minimalism, and provides a series of useful contexts from which controversial aspects of Nyman's musical language can be more clearly understood and appreciated. Drawing upon terms informed by intertextual theory in general, appropriation and borrowing are first introduced within the context of twentieth-century art music and theory. Intertextual concepts are explained and their terms defined before Nyman's musical language is considered in relation to a series of intertextual classifications and types. These types then form the basis of a more in-depth study of his works during the second half of the book, ranging from opera and chamber music to film. Rather than restricting style and technique, Nyman's intertextual approach, on the contrary, is shown to provide his music with an almost infinite amount of variety, flexibility and diversity, and this has been used to illustrate a wide range of technical, aesthetic and expressive forms. He composes with his ear towards the past as if it were a rich quarry to mine, working like a musical archaeologist, uncovering artefacts and chiselling fresh and vibrant sonic edifices out of them.

Nyman is one of the most commercially successful composers of the 20th century and his music has struck a chord with audiences the world over. His award-winning scores have graced countless significant films including The Piano, Detroit: Ruin Of A City and Gattaca. This special collection of Nyman's Piano music includes previously unpublished works from Nyman's 2005 CD The Piano Sings. All works have been transcribed and restored to solo Piano arrangements, offering his most successful and best-loved pieces in one superb volume. Songlist: - All Imperfect Things - The Attraction Of The Pedalling Ankle - Big My Secret - Candlefire - Chasing Sheep Is Best Left To Shepherds - Chatterbox Waltz - The Departure - Diary Of Love - The Embrace - The Exchange - Franklyn - Goodbye Moortie - The Heart Asks Pleasure First - Here To There - If - Jack - Lost And Found - The Mood That Passes Through You - The Morrow - Odessa Beach - The Schoolroom - Sheep ’n’ Tides - Silver-Fingered Fling - Time Lapse - Why?

For over three decades Michael Nyman's music has succeeded in reaching beyond the small community of contemporary music aficionados to a much wider range of listeners. An important element in unlocking the key to Nyman's success lies in his writings about music, which preoccupied him for over a decade from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. During this time Nyman produced over 100 articles, covering almost every conceivable musical style and genre - from the Early Music revival and the West's interest in 'world' music, or from John Cage and minimalism to rock and pop. Nyman initiated a number of landmark moments in the course of late twentieth-century music along the way: he was one of the first to critique the distinction between the European avant-garde and the American experimental movement; he was the first to coin the term 'minimalism' in relation to the music of (then largely unknown) Steve Reich and Terry Riley, and later Philip Glass; the first to seriously engage with the music of the English experimental tradition and the importance of Cornelius Cardew, and to identify the importance of Art Colleges in nurturing and developing a radical alternative to modernism; and one of the first writers to grasp the significance of post-minimalists such as Brian Eno and Harold Budd, and to realize how these elements could be brought together into a new aesthetic vision for his own creative endeavours, which was formulated during the late 1970s and early 80s. Much of what transformed and defined Nyman's musical character may be found within the pages of this volume of his writings, comprehensively edited and annotated for the first time, and including previously unpublished material from Nyman's second interview with Steve Reich in 1976. There is also much here to engage the minds of those who are interested in pre-twentieth century music, from Early and Baroque music (Handel and Purcell in particular) to innovative features in Haydn, spatial elements in Berlioz, or Bruckner and Mahler's symphonic works.

Michael Nyman: Songs & Arias presents sixteen songs and seven arias for high voice and Piano from across Michael Nyman’s varied and exhilarating output: songs from his celebrated film scores, like The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover; from recent operas like Facing Goya; several concert song cycles, and two songs that stand independently. There can be few music lovers today who do not immediately recognise Nyman’s distinctive instrumental writing. But, until now, they may have been less familiar with the vocal music that forms so important a part of his creative personality. The wide range of sources from which Nyman draws the inspiration for his settings, including Rimbaud and Celan set in their original languages, fragments of Mozart, Pessoa and contemporary poets, demonstrates a composer of unusual learning and lively interests. This book is an important resource and extension to the repertoire of any high voice singer. Songlist: - If (The Diary Of Anne Frank) - Mozart On Mortality - Miserere (The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover) - Allez! On Préviendra Les Reflux D'Incendie (L'Orgie Parisienne) - Quand Tes Pieds Ont Dansé (L'Orgie Parisienne) - Es War Erde In Ihnen (Six Celan Songs) - Nachtlich Geschurzt (Six Celan Songs) - Where The Bee Sucks (Ariel Songs From Prospero's Books) - Full Fathom Five (Ariel Songs From Prospero's Books) - Before You Can Say, 'Come' And 'Go' (Ariel Songs From Prospero's Books) - While You Here Do Snoring Lie (Ariel Songs From Prospero's Books) - Come Unto These Yellow Sands (Ariel Songs From Prospero's Books) - I Am An Unusual Thing (Letters, Riddles And Writs) - Why (The Diary Of Anne Frank) - Silence Emerges (Cycle Of Disquietude) - I'm Riding On A Tram (Cycle Of Disquietude) - He Sang In A Gentle Voice (Cycle Of Disquietude) - Tortured Prisoner (Facing Goya) - As Noses Move (Facing Goya) - You Are My Son (Facing Goya) - This Is What I Found Today (Man And Boy: Dada) - Things The Artist Must Not Do Today (Man And Boy: Dada) - Life's Chaos (Acts Of Beauty)

Available for the first time for solo piano, Revisiting the Piano presents four fabulous arrangements from the motion-picture soundtrack to The Piano, plus two of the film’s favourite themes. This is another wonderfully presented edition with stills from the film, an original manuscript sketch/ note from Nyman to lead actress Holly Hunter, who performed the pieces in the film, and an introduction on Michael Nyman’s music and influences. With clean and accurate engravings, this is the perfect way to explore the touching music of Michael Nyman, an imaginative and instinctive composer. Songlist: - Big My Secret - Here To There - Lost And Found - The Embrace - All Imperfect Things - The Heart Asks Pleasure First