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George Benjamin and Collaboration

Donald Macleod with the composer Sir George Benjamin journeys into the world of collaboration.

Donald Macleod with the composer Sir George Benjamin delves into the world of collaboration.

Composer of the Week marks the sixtieth birthday of the celebrated British composer Sir George Benjamin. All this week Benjamin joins Donald Macleod in the studio to provide listeners with personal insights into his music and distinguished career. They discuss the composer's musical connections, his inspirations, his interest in collaboration, the compositional process, and his work as a pianist, conductor and teacher.

To collaborate is to surrender part of your creativity according to Sir George Benjamin, so finding the right people to collaborate with is very important to him. Now in his sixtieth year, he has regularly collaborated with groups such as Ensemble Modern and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and the librettist Martin Crimp. In the last of this week's programmes, the composer talks to Donald Macleod about why collaboration is important to him, and why in the case of opera productions, he takes a journey with the singers in the creation of their roles.

Three Inventions for Chamber Orchestra
Ensemble Modern
George Benjamin, conductor

Shadowlines
Pierre-Laurant Aimard, piano

Lessons in Love and Violence (Sc.1 Not when you grip my neck)
St茅phane Degout (King), baritone
Barbara Hannigan (Isabel), soprano
Gyula Orendt (Gaveston / Stranger), baritone
Peter Hoare (Mortimer), tenor
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
George Benjamin, conductor

Duet for Piano and Orchestra
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
George Benjamin, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock for 大象传媒 Wales.

Photo credit: Matthew Lloyd

59 minutes

Last on

Fri 11 Dec 2020 12:00

Music Played

  • Sir George Benjamin

    Three Inventions for Chamber Orchestra

    Ensemble: Ensemble Modern. Conductor: Sir George Benjamin.
    • EM MEDIA : EMCD002.
    • EM MEDIA.
    • 3.
  • Sir George Benjamin

    Shadowlines

    Performer: Pierre鈥怢aurent Aimard.
    • NIMBUS : NI-5713.
    • NIMBUS.
    • 1.
  • Sir George Benjamin

    Lessons In Love And Violence - Sc 1, Not when you grip my neck

    • NIMBUS : NI5976.
    • NIMBUS.
    • 2.
  • Sir George Benjamin

    Duet for Piano and Orchestra

    Performer: Pierre鈥怢aurent Aimard. Orchestra: Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Sir George Benjamin.
    • NIMBUS : NI58856.
    • Nimbus.
    • 6.

Broadcast

  • Fri 11 Dec 2020 12:00

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