Impossible Brilliance: the music of Conlon Nancarrow

Concert, Saturday 21 April 2012 7:30PM, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Conlon Nancarrow Study No. 21 (new arr. Murcott)

Conlon Nancarrow Piece No. 2 for Small Orchestra

Conlon Nancarrow Study No. 6 (arr. Mikhashoff)

John Cage Five

Conlon Nancarrow Study No. 5 (arr. Mikhashoff)

Conlon Nancarrow Study No. 26 (new arr. Rogers)

James Tenney Spectral Canon for Conlon Nancarrow

Conlon Nancarrow Toccata for violin and player piano

Conlon Nancarrow Tango? (arr. Mikhashoff)

Conlon Nancarrow Piece No.1 for Small Orchestra

Conlon Nancarrow Piece for Tape (arr. Murcott)

György Ligeti Continuum for solo harpsichord

Conlon Nancarrow Study for Player Piano No. 49a

Conlon Nancarrow Study No. 49 a,b,c (new arr. Thomas)

The London Sinfonietta celebrates the works of 20th-century musical maverick Conlon Nancarrow. A former soldier in the Spanish Civil War, Nancarrow spent most of his life in Mexico exploring intricate rhythmic designs only playable by mechanical instruments. This event highlights existing and new arrangements of his jazzy and hyperkinetically energetic music and incorporates live projection depicting the character of Conlon Nancarrow by designer Netia Jones.

Presented by the London Sinfonietta, Southbank Centre and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance as part of Impossible Brilliance: the music of Conlon Nancarrow.

Baldur Brönnimann conductor
Ben Gernon conductor
Rex Lawson pianola
David Hockings percussion
Iain Farrington harpsichord
Sound Intermedia electronics
Netia Jones (for lightmap)projection design