{"product_id":"stevens-symphonies-1-and-2-overtures-musique-concrete-1953-56-pasc100","title":"STEVENS Symphonies 1 and 2, Overtures, Musique Concrete (1953-56) - PASC100","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMiniature Overture 'In A Nutshell'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eCoronation Overture 'Lion and Unicorn'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eMusique Concrète from the film 'The Rival World'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eRecorded as broadcast 1953-1956 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003e(Duration 67'44\")\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBBC Northern Orchestra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Stanford Robinson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\nBBC Scottish Orchestra \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e Ian Whyte \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMusicWeb International Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThe final victory is grippingly sour. The symphony won a Royal Philhamonic Society prize578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:\njustify\"\u003eJames Stevens studied with Darius Milhaud\nand Nadia Boulanger. He has written many other works apart from\nthose featured here including two further symphonies. His film\nscores include \u003ci\u003eCockleshell Heroes\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Baby and the\nBattleship \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eRing Around the Earth\u003c\/i\u003e. \n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:\njustify\"\u003eThese mono recordings are from the composer's\narchive acetates. With Pristine's technical magic and sheer\npunctilious hard work they sound strong if unsophisticated.\nThis is honest-to-goodness analogue mono from BBC broadcasts. \n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:\njustify\"\u003eStevens - to be distinguished from Bernard\n– proves that he can write in an easily approachable tonal idiom.\nThere is a twist of Copland in \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIn a Nutshell \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003ewhich\nis announced by a BBC presenter in typically 1950s accent and\nstyle. This little overture has a film-calypso air about it\nwith plenty of glint and silver to top it off. There’s a touch\nof Benjamin and Williamson here as well. The \u003cb\u003eFirst Symphony\n\u003c\/b\u003eis not announced. It is in three movements. The first is\nin an obviously more complex idiom which is dyspeptic. While\nnever cutting the ties to lyricism it can be equated with the\ntortured tonality of Alwyn and Rawsthorne. The luminously plangent\nlanguage of Roy Harris and John Veale can be heard in the second\nmovement but through a recording that works to obscure the detail.\nThe finale is crunchingly dramatic -with a febrile plunging\npanicky anxiety at large. The final victory is grippingly sour.\nThe symphony won a Royal Philhamonic Society prize. \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe\nLion and Unicorn \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eis a Coronation year effort. It is\nan uproarious affair with more of the Rabelaisian Auric about\nit than the Walton or Ferguson march-overtures of that year.\nThe other voices are again Harris and Copland. This recording\nis announced, unlike that of the \u003cb\u003eSecond Symphony \u003c\/b\u003ewhich,\nsadly, suffers from some 'tizzing' distortion. It is in four\nmovements which again touch on the lyrical complexities of Rawsthorne\nand Shostakovich – some Arnell here too. The third movement\nis a sinister and poisonously searing but extremely inventive\n\u003ci\u003eAdagio \u003c\/i\u003ewith an acidic dissonant edginess. This carries\nover into the final anxiety-threaded \u003ci\u003eMaestoso\u003c\/i\u003e. Stevens\nmust have been open to electronic music because the final track,\ncalled \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMusique Concrète \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eis a warbling, buzzing,\ngrunting and grumbling mixture of electronic sounds used as\na soundtrack for a film about the ‘evils’ of the insect world.\nThe sensationally melodramatic commentary takes us back to those\nten minute documentaries of the 1940s and 1950s but adds a touch\nof Hammer horror and Vincent Price. Its humanising of insect\nactivity is a strangely sinister echo of the gratingly anthropomorphic\nsaccharine cutesiness of the Walt Disney films of the 1950s\nand 1960s.\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:\njustify\"\u003eYou can also hear James Stevens’ \u003ci\u003eReluctant\nMasquerade \u003c\/i\u003e(see review)\nand his miniature Concerto\nConcitato for piano and orchestra via Pristine recordings. Well\nworth hearing even if with my copy of the disc there were no notes\nabout the composer or his music. You can find these at the Pristine\nsite. \n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:\njustify\"\u003ePsychologically complex music productively adrift in the shadowlands\nbetween tonality and dissonance.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRob Barnett\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC100.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"bodybig\" align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eJames Stevens - BBC Broadcast Recordings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt has taken many hours of painstaking restoration work over almost an entire year to rescue and remaster these incredibly rare and valuable recordings. Despite at times a huge degree of surface noise, it is astonishing to hear the sound quality one is able to extract from these tired and worn grooves - only in the \u003cem\u003eCoronation Overture\u003c\/em\u003e does one note a loss of clarity and brightness in the upper frequencies.\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\" align=\"left\"\u003eWhilst at times there are inevitable remnants of the disc noise still audible, these recordings are remarkably well preserved, and it has been an honour and privilege to bring this hugely important project to fruition.\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/b\u003eMiniature Overture 'In A Nutshell'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/b\u003eCoronation Overture 'Lion and Unicorn'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSTEVENS \u003c\/b\u003eMusique Concrète from the film 'The Rival World'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBBC Northern Orchestra\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003econducted by\u003cb\u003e Stanford Robinson\u003cbr\u003e\nBBC Scottish Orchestra \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003econducted by\u003cb\u003e Ian Whyte \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003eTransferred from the composer's broadcast transcription acetate discs\u003cbr\u003e Recorded as broadcast 1953-1956 \u003cbr\u003e Restoration and XR remastering by Andrew Rose, 2006-2007\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,san-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodysmallarial\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,san-serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,san-serif;\"\u003eDuration 67'44\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC100.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC100.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fAdditional Notes578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe Five pieces collected together on this recording are\na superb introduction to the great versatility, ability and range of an\nunjustly neglected composer. James Stevens (\u003cem\u003eb. 1923\u003c\/em\u003e) , who\nstudied composition under Frankel, Boulanger and Milhaud, was regarded\nby the powers at the BBC in the 1950's as a shining new star in the\nworld of British composers, only to fall out of favour with the new\nregime of the 1960's.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eWe are fortunate therefore that he was able to retain\nacetate disc copies, at 78rpm and 33rpm, of these wonderful broadcast\nperformances from the fifties, and that with all the modern restoration\ntechniques currently available, we have been able to restore these\nrecordings to a level more than fit for release.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eMiniature Overture, 'In A Nutshell'\u003c\/strong\u003e,\nintroduces one of Stevens' great contributions to music - his\ncompositions for film, TV, radio and theatre. It was written for a 1955\ndocumentary film, and demonstrates the composer's excellent ear for\nmelody, as well as his ability to adapt for the specific stylistic\nrequirements of the genre. (NB. We are unsure of the conductor of this\nrecording - but it is quite possibly also Stanford Robinson.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eStevens' \u003cstrong\u003eSymphony No. 1\u003c\/strong\u003e, which won the Royal Philharmonic Prize, and his \u003cstrong\u003eSymphony No. 2\u003c\/strong\u003e\nare both fine works which build on a tradition of British twentieth\ncentury composition whilst moving forward perhaps in more of an\nevolutionary than revolutionary fashion. When I asked the composer about\npossible titles or keys for the annotation of this release, he stated\nthat although there was no specific key for either of the symphonies,\nboth do resolve at the end to the same key in which they began.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003efirst symphony\u003c\/strong\u003e is in three movements:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAllegro energico\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMolto moderato - Andante\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMaestoso - Allegro urgente\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eA restless, searching and at times dramatic first\nmovement displays the composer's full command of orchestral texture, as\nwell rhythmic, harmonic and melodic invention. It gives way to a more\nsearching, haunting second movement, in which shades of light and\ndarkness are brilliantly interwoven over a restless, near-continual\npulse of underlying energy. This energy seems to burst out into the open\nduring the final movement, which pulsates with syncopated rhythm\nsplashed liberally throughout the broad composer's orchestral palette,\ndriving the music relentlessly towards its dramatic conclusion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003esecond symphony\u003c\/strong\u003e is heard here in its world première performance, and is written in four movements:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAllegro non troppo\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eCome un minuetto\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAdagio\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"body\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eMaestoso - Allegro assai \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eIt is in the opening movement that, as a devotee of the\nmusic of E. J. Moeran, I hear faint echoes of two of that composer's\ngreatest achievements, the \u003cem\u003eSymphony in G minor\u003c\/em\u003e and his \u003cem\u003eSinfonietta\u003c\/em\u003e.\nStevens opens with a chugging rhythm similar to that of Moeran's\nSymphony, whilst exploring tonalities and melodies which seem to build\nupon and move forward the more advanced style of the Sinfonietta. As the\nmovement progresses, however, we find ourselves moving ever more firmly\ninto Stevens territory, leaving behind these possible references as\nmere echoes of a previous time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThere can be few twentieth century symphonies written\nwith a minuet, that staple of the Classical era almost obligatory in the\nsymphonies of Mozart or Haydn. Not that Stevens' playful \u003cem\u003e'Like a minuet'\u003c\/em\u003e\nmovement would sit comfortably in any of his illustrious predecessors'\nworks. He retains a wonderful lightness of touch, wihlst playing\nskillfully with the conventions of rhythm, building around fragments of\ndelightful melody, scattered delicately around a dance that never quite\nends, but segues into the unsettling opening to the \u003cem\u003eAdagio\u003c\/em\u003e, a broad and expansive movement that is the soul of this work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe final movement begins with a series of dissonant\nchords, before gradually building up into a vibrant vividness. Tension\nis built up to a dramatic climax about halfway through the movement\nbefore falling back to a section of listless interwoven melodies that\ngradually pull one towards the final, thrilling upward motion of the\nwork's climactic conclusion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThe two symphonies are presented here either side of the first broadcast performance of Stevens' \u003cstrong\u003eCoronation Overture \u003cem\u003eLion and Unicorn\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003c\/strong\u003eThe BBC announcer tells is that the overture \"\u003cem\u003estresses the festival atmosphere of coronation time, rather than its solemn pomp\u003c\/em\u003e\",\nand though the work open with a suitably regal fanfare, it quickly\ntakes us on a whirlwind tour of - I imagine - the street parties and\ncelebrations of London town during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.\nDespite the slightly poorer sound quality and frequency range of this\nrecording by comparison to the others here, one is quickly swept away by\nthe dynamic vigour of the music.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eThis collection ends with something quite different - a short section of \u003cstrong\u003eMusique Concrète\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is introduced as part of a radio programme and includes music and narration from the film \u003cem\u003eThe Rival World\u003c\/em\u003e.\nHere we're in a completely different sound world, with electronic\nnoises, tape manipulations and the complete - if limited by modern\nstandards - palette of sound available to the pioneers of\nelectroacoustic music in the 1950's. When heard in the context of the\nnarration one senses the brilliance of the music, which brings the words\nalive without need of the accompanying pictures - indeed, as with all\ngood radio, one's imagination provides better images than the film-maker\never could.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThe Composer578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodybig\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybig\" style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003eJames Stevens\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bodymid\" style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e (1923-2012) \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"bodybig\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"div3\" class=\"body\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003eby Edmund Whitehouse, published by Musicweb International\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eStudied initially with Benjamin Frankel in his exclusive\nclass at the Guildhall School of Music in London. There he won several\nprestigious awards including the Royal Philharmonic Prize for his First\nSymphony; the Wainwright Scholarship for 'composer of the year'; and a\nFrench Government Bursary which took him across the Channel to study\nwith Darius Milhaud at the Paris Conservatoire. There he met Nadia\nBoulanger who made him one of her star pupils who received Saturday\nevening tuition free of charge. He also enjoyed an open invitation to\nArthur Honegger's classes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eHe later won the coveted Lili Boulanger Memorial Prize\nin Boston, USA, for 'composers of exceptional talent and integrity'\nawarded by a panel of judges which included Stravinsky, Copland and\nVilla-Lobos. Another award was the Mendelssohn Scholarship which even\nBenjamin Britten failed to achieve, despite several attempts! As a\nresult of this he spent some time in Berlin at the Hochschule für Musik.\nHe also won the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths' Award while his most\nrecent honour was the BDK International Award in Tokyo for his Buddhist\nrequiem Celebration for the Dead played by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eStevens commenced his extensive film career while still a\nstudent and was acclaimed at the Ealing Studios where he constantly\ndevised new film music techniques which are now standard practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eUnusually, Stevens has never confined himself to one\nparticular musical genre and has taken every opportunity to take part in\npop music, jazz, films, television scores, and musicals; his musical\nMamízelle Nitouche being revived in London's West End in the autumn of\n2001. Although also concerned with serious avant-garde works, his music\nis melodic rather than atonal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eIn one year he was the only British composer to be\nselected for the annual International Society for Contemporary Music\n(with Etymon) while having a disc at number one in the Melody Maker\ncharts (with Exploding Galaxy). In 1990 he was nominated for the BAFTA\nmusic award for his contribution to Chelworth - eight one-hour episodes.\nIn 1995 he was invited to give a 'James Stevens Day' in Cincinnati,\nshortly after which he was invited by the Musicians Union of Japan to\nrepresent English artists at the Hiroshima and Nagasaki 50th anniversary\nmemorial ceremonies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"body\"\u003eIn 1998 the Cleveland Orchestra Piano Trio gave the\nworld premiere of Concertante a Tre and in 1999 Stevens was commissioned\nto write David's Round for a 9-year-old prodigy violinist, also in\nCleveland, USA. The following year he was commissioned by members of the\nCleveland Orchestra to write a work for cello and piano called Duo Per\nUmanita. Also in 2000 Stevens completed his magnum opus The Reluctant\nMasquerade, dealing with the human psyche and nature of time. In 2001 he\nwrote the incidental music for American writer Daniel de Cournoyer's\nepic one-man theatre show Bells to Hell and also a Processional for a\nwedding in Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010057453934,"sku":"onc1789305705061","price":8.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Mono 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010057486702,"sku":"czx1789305705062","price":8.42,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":55010057519470,"sku":"fki1789305705063","price":7.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/stevens-symphonies-1-and-2-overtures-musique-concrete-1953-56---pasc100_1.jpg?v=1789305712","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/stevens-symphonies-1-and-2-overtures-musique-concrete-1953-56-pasc100","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}