Programme Note
numbers 91–95 is the first of several ‘settings’ of the poems of Simon Howard, whose work I find incredibly inspiring. To me they are unfussy, evocative, violent and visceral. Absolutely the qualities I look for in music.
However, this setting is more of an accompaniment: it doesn’t try to mess with the immediacy of the poem. The themes of nostalgia and forgetting in the poem are echoed by the feint, crackly recordings of the two tape players. The calmness of the poem is reflected in the quiet meditativeness of the music.
Details
numbers 91–95 was commissioned by Ensemble Adapter, Berlin, to be premiered by them at the 2011 Wien Modern Festival and then in several concerts in Prague, Oxford and Berlin. Funds for the commission were generously provided by the Bliss Trust.
Year: 2011
Duration: 9’
Text: Simon Howard
Ensemble: speaker and two tape recorders, harp, flute and woodblock
(speaker need not be a trained vocalist. This could be performed by an instrumentalist.)
(harp part can be substituted for piano or guitar)
Published by Ricordi Musikverlag GmbH
In this video and on the debut album Below the Belt (Spotify link):
Speaker: Nick Blackburn
Players: Katie Bicknell, Olivia Jaguers, Matthew West
Recorded at LSO St Luke’s, 29th June 2013.
Recording produced by Andrew Morgan, Video by Mark Hermida
Buy score & parts
News about numbers 91–95
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Profile by Tayyab Amin for hcmf//
I was very fortunate to be featured this year at hcmf// across three concerts of my most recent works: Answer Machine Tape, 1987, performed and commissioned by Zubin Kanga; Numbers…
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Below the Belt one of BBC Music Magazine’s ’30 must-have albums’
BBC Music Magazine is celebrating its 30th Birthday this year, and as part of the celebrations they have chosen Below The Belt as one of their 30 “Must-Have Albums of…
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Portrait concerts at Musica Festival and Festival d’Automne announced
Musica Festival in Strasbourg has just announced its 2021 programme, and I’m delighted to say there will be a portrait concert of my work in the festival on 1st October.…
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Riot Ensemble plays Illusions and Numbers 91–95
The Riot Ensemble is performing two pieces of mine, Illusions and Numbers 91–95, at Kings Place on Monday 17th September as part of the new ‘Luminate’ series. It’s a semi-portrait concerto, with other…
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Below The Belt
My debut album, Below the Belt, is now available for pre-ordering via NMC here. The disc will be launched on 16th March 2018. The works on the disc are: The…
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Video of Numbers 91-95 from LSO St Luke’s
Score and more info here This recording was made at LSO St Luke’s on 29th June 2013. It will be released on my solo album in 2018. Text: Simon Howard…
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Video of Numbers 91-95 at the Guildhall
Numbers 91-95 by Philip Venables (music/concept) and Simon Howard (text) Performed by students at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama: Alex Knox (speaker), Jack Welch (flute), Caolan Walpot (harp),…