SEVN recording day at Wexford Arts Centre
Myself & Gavin Glass headed down to WAC to record a short work by Thea Musgrave called “Light at the end of the tunnel”
Scottish composer Thea Musgrave Credit: Kate Mount
As our first venue, we quickly discovered some pros and cons. One lovely thing is the incredible accoustic in the lower gallery, little effort completely fills the room. However there were several downsides. The cafe was just closing so there was alot of noise from there and then of course, being on a road, we picked up lots of vehicle sounds.
However this was part of this project….is it feasible to make good quality recordings in none studio environments?
I had wanted to see how much recording the actual room affects the music and the performance. The finished product is certainly not useable for radio broadcast or making an album but it does have a beautiful quality about it. I quite enjoy the rawness that results from a busy background, almost like we imposed a piece of music on the every day happenings of a busy building. It is a concept that interests me, I think we can do more to place classical music in unexpected places. Definitely something I would like to explore more.
A big shout out to Gavin Glass for traipsing around Wexford with all his gear and being so open minded about this whole experiment!
Also thank you to Elizabeth Whyte and all the staff at the Arts Centre who made us feel so welcome.
This piece was written in Summer of 2020, a commission by the BBC Symphony Orchestra
Thea Musgrave writes:
I am so grateful to the BBC for this commission to write a short work for one of the players in one of its orchestras. Not only because I think it is marvellous that the BBC is recognizing these individual players during this time when concert halls are dark, but also because it gives us composers a chance to say thank you to them as well.
Today nobody knows how long the “tunnel” of the pandemic, Covid-19, will be. All that is certain is that one day we will reach that “light” at the end of the tunnel and that “normal” times will resume. But what will that “normal” be? No way to know. We can only hope that somehow we will all work together so that we will emerge into a warmer and clearer light where there will be true justice and, above all, peace.
So in the music the solo viola reacts to the journey through life during this terrifying worldwide 2020 pandemic with despair and agitation. His several outbursts are interrupted by a quiet long-held his E natural which of course represents the “light at the end of the tunnel”. Eventually the viol realizes that this light is indeed there and one day will be reachable. His agitation calms as he resolves this E natural to A major. The future is this one of hope though there are many things that will have to be fought for.
