Musical Design of the Week (17)

Sibelius is saved!!

After a huge scare when the London office for Sibelius was shut down and the future of the software was hanging by a thread, Hamburg-based company Steinberg has signed on Sibelius. A new London office will open next week.

This is good news to Sibelius users, and though I'm sure we all benefited greatly from the 25% discount on Sib 7 upgrades from Avid, we're also very pleased it won't be the last version of Sibelius we will see again.

RIP Elliott Carter

Another great composer has passed away. Elliott Carter died today at the age of 103. I always got the impression this great man could live forever. It is very sad indeed.

Carter was one of the most productive composers, especially in his later years (publishing more than 40 works just between the ages of 90-100) and won the Pulitzer Prize twice.

I will leave you to listen to his 2nd String Quartet.

Musical Design of the Week (16)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

RIP Hans Werner Henze

German composer, Hans Werner Henze, died today at the age of 86. He was a prolific composer, known for his political convictions (moving to Italy as a reaction against homophobia in Germanyand an intolerance for his leftist views). His music varied in style greatly, inspired by serialism, Stravinsky, Italian music and jazz. 

Musical Design of the Week (15)

Piano Doorbell concept by Li Jian

Soundtrack for 'The View' from 'The Shard'

As many of you already know, London's The Shard is a fantastic new skyscraper in London, standing 309.6 metres tall making it the tallest completed building in the EU. 

The View from The Shard, the new premium visitor attraction at the pinnacle of The Shard, has commissioned the LSO and David Mitcham (composer) to record a soundtrack for The View at Abbey Road Studios. 

David Mitcham says: "The Shard is London's newest landmark and is located in one of the oldest parts of the capital. Witnessing The View from The Shard gives a unique perspective on London, its history, its future and its people. The sheer scale and variety contained within the view is quite overwhelming. It is also so exciting to be this high up and feels a real privilege to see London this way. My score seeks to capture the sense of rising above it all and the excitement and euphoria of being suspended right on top of London with the colourful story and ceaseless energy of one of the world's greatest cities flowing on like a mighty river below."

(David Mitcham is one of Britain's leading composers for film and TV, Ivor and Emmy award nominated.)

Rework: Philip Glass Remixed

Glass has always inspired electronic artists across the pop spectrum with his compositions, so it's fitting that, in honor of his 75th birthday, Beck Hansen decided to create this album. The idea for Rework came about during a conversation between Beck and Philip Glass (they're good friends). 

The artists that have contributed to this album are not huge names but cutting-edge artists (Beck knows a few Icelandic post-ambient laptop composers). Beck seems to have followed a similar path to his British contemporary, Damon Albarn (Blur), becoming a busy producer/enabler, rather than the usual album-tour route. Most recently working with Charlotte Gainsbourg and helping out Bat For Lashes.

Enjoy the following track from the album, which is out now on Amazon and iTunes. 

Mauricio Kagel: Rotation

Graphical representation of rotation and translation of note configurations. Wonderful.

From Kagel's essay 'Translation-Rotation',  Die Reihe - 7