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Harrison Birtwistle: ritual and the ancient past

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore shine new light on the 'modern' music of the 20th century. This week Kate explores the violent, primordial music of Harrison Birtwistle.

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore present 蜜芽传媒 Radio 3's series exploring the pivotal 'modern' musical works of the 20th century, the groundbreaking composers who created them, and the radical cultural and artistic movements which gave rise to them. In this episode Kate explores the violent, primordial music of Harrison Birtwistle, leading to full performance of one of his greatest works - Secret Theatre. We'll hear about the extraordinary party which shaped Birtwistle's style, traverse the ancient traditions of England's distant past and discover how Birtwistle channeled a sense of deep mythic time into his knotty, visceral music.

Produced by Sam Phillips
A Reduced Listening production for 蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

59 minutes

Last on

Sun 13 Jul 2025 21:00
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Secret Theatre

    Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Birtwistle: Secret Theatre and other works.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Bol茅ro, M. 81 (Arr. for 1984 Olympic Performance)

    Orchestra: The Michael Reed Orchestra.
    • The Music of Torvill & Dean.
    • First Night Records.

  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Punch and Judy - Roundel

    Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: David Atherton.
    • Birtwistle: Punch and Judy.

  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Secret Theatre

    Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Birtwistle: Secret Theatre and other works.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Punch and Judy - Prologue

    Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: David Atherton.
    • Birtwistle: Punch and Judy.

  • Pierre Boulez

    Piano Sonata No. 2

    Performer: Tamara Stefanovic.
    • Organised Delirium.
    • PENTATONE.

  • Catherine Christer Hennix

    The Electric Harpsichord (excerpt)

    Performer: Catherine Christer Hennix.
    • Further Selections from the Electric Harpsichord.
    • Blank Forms Editions.

  • Thea Musgrave

    Pierrot

    Ensemble: Ensemble 360.
    • Pierrot Portraits.
    • ONYX.

  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Secret Theatre

    Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Birtwistle: Secret Theatre and other works.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Jennifer Walshe & Tony Conrad

    Day of the Fair

    • In the Merry Month of May.
    • Blue Chopsticks.

Broadcast

  • Sun 13 Jul 2025 21:00
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3