Mark-Anthony Turnage (1960- )
A composer
of truly international stature, Mark-Anthony Turnage is among the most
relevant communicators and creators of today. His orchestral and
operatic music is often forthright and confrontational, unafraid to
mirror the realities of modern life, yet its energy is exhilarating.
With his flair for vivid titles, and his complete absorption of jazz
elements into a contemporary classical style, Turnage produces work
with a strong appeal to an enquiring, often young audience. At the same
time his music is capable of expressing deep tenderness, especially
emotions associated with loss. Born in Britain, Turnage studied
with Oliver Knussen and John Lambert, and later with Gunther Schuller.
With the encouragement of Hans Werner Henze, he wrote his first opera, Greek,
for the Munich Biennale festival which received a triumphant
premiere in 1988. The many ensuing productions worldwide established
Turnage’s international reputation. The important works that followed,
Three Screaming Popes,
Kai, Momentum and Drowned Out,
stemmed from a
four-year period as Composer in Association with the City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra and Sir Simon Rattle, from 1989 to 1993. Three years
later Blood on the Floor
was commissioned by Ensemble Modern. Written
for John Scofield, Peter Erskine and Martin Robertson, it demonstrates
Turnage’s ability to draw inspiration from the unique sounds of
particular performers, often working in close collaboration. Turnage’s
major work in the late Nineties was his second full-length opera, The
Silver Tassie, to exceptional acclaim at
English National Opera, where he was Composer in Association. It won
both the South Bank Show and Olivier Awards for Opera in 2001. The new
century also brought Turnage’s appointment in 2000 as the BBC Symphony
Orchestra’s first Associate Composer culminating in a major Turnage
weekend at the Barbican in January 2003. Other
significant works from the new century include Bass Inventions,
premiered by the bass player Dave Holland in Amsterdam in May 2001, and
Scorched,
co-written with John Scofield for jazz trio and orchestra,
premiered in September 2002 with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
and Big Band conducted by Hugh Wolff. Working during the 04/05 season
with the London Philharmonic led to Turnage's appointment as Composer
in Residence with the London Philharmonic from 2006 to 2010. Turnage
was also appointed Mead Composer in
Residence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 2010.COMPOSITIONS Turnage Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Turnage on Turnage
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WORKS BY GENRE Turnage Links ~ ~ ~ Turnage on Turnage ~ top of page ~
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Dramatic/Theater
Greek, opera in 2 acts (1988) [libretto: the composer and Jonathan Moore, after the play by Steven Berkoff]
Twice Through the Heart, dramatic scena in 3 parts (1997) [libretto: Jackie Kay]
Country of the Blind, chamber opera (1997)
The Silver Tassie, opera in 4 acts (2000) [libretto: Amanda Holden, after the play by Seán O'Casey]
Anna Nicole, opera in 2 acts (2011) [libretto: Richard Thomas]
Ballet
From All Sides, ballet (2005-06)
L'Anatomie De La Sensation, ballet (2011)
Undance, ballet (2011)
Orchestra
Three Screaming Popes, orchestra (1988–89)
Momentum, orchestra (1990-91)
Drowned Out, orchestra (1992-93)
Still Sleeping, orchestra (1997)
Evening Songs, orchestra (1998)
Silent Cities, orchestra (1998)
A Quick Blast, orchestral winds, brass and percussion (2000)
Dark Crossing, chamber orchestra (2000)
Etudes and Elegies, orchestra (2000-02)
Uninterrupted Sorrow, orchestra (2000-01)
A Quiet Life, string orchestra (2002)
Scherzoid, orchestra (2003-04)
Ceres, orchestra (2005)
Juno, orchestra (2005)
Lullaby for Hans, string orchestra (2005)
Three Asteroids, orchestra (2005)
The Torino Scale, orchestra (2005)
From All Sides, orchestra (2005-06)
Chicago Remains, orchestra (2007)
Texan Tenebrae, orchestra (2009)
Hammered Out, orchestra (2010)
Canon Fever, orchestra (2012)
Band
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Night Dances, offstage string quintet, solo instrumental group and orchestra (1981)
Your Rockaby, soprano saxophone and orchestra (1992-93)
Dispelling the Fears, 2 trumpets and orchestra (1994-1995)
Scorched, jazz trio and orchestra (1996-2001)
About Time, ensemble and chamber orchestra of period instruments (1999-2000)
Another Set To, concerto for trombone and orchestra (1999-2000)
Four-Horned Fandango, 4 horns and orchestra (2000)
On Opened Ground, concerto for viola and orchestra (2000-01)
Fractured Lines, double concerto for 2 percussion and orchestra (2001)
A Man Descending, tenor saxophone and chamber orchestra (2003)
Riffs and Refrains, concerto for clarinet and orchestra (2003)
A Soothing Interlude, trombone and orchestra (2004)
From the Wreckage, concerto for trumpet and orchestra (2004)
Yet Another Set To, concerto for trombone and orchestra (2004)
Hidden Love Song, soprano saxophone and chamber orchestra (2005)
A Prayer Out of Stillness, concertante for double bass (doubling bass guitar) and string orchestra (2007)
Five Views of a Mouth, concerto for flute and orchestra (2007)
Mambo, Blues and Tarantella, concerto for violin and orchestra (2007)
Silem, trumpet and big band (2010)
Chorus w/Orchestra
The Game Is Over, chorus and orchestra (2001-02)
A Relic of Memory, chorus and orchestra (2003)
Choral
Calmo, chorus and bells (2003)
Two Fanfares and a Lament, chorus and large ensemble (2003)
Christmas Night, chorus and piano (2006)
Claremont Carol, female chorus and piano (or organ) (2006)
Miserere Nobis, chorus (2006)
Chamber
On All Fours (1985), for chamber ensemble
Release (1987), for soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano and double bass
Kai (1989–1990), for cello solo and ensemble
Three Farewells (1989–1990), for flute, bass clarinet, harp and string quartet
Set To (1992–1993), for brass dectet
This Silence (1992–1993), for clarinet, bassoon, horn and string quintet
Blood on the Floor (1993–1996), for jazz quartet and large ensemble
Barrie's Deviant Fantasy (1995), for string quartet and referee's whistles
Bass Invention (1999–2000), for double bass solo and ensemble
Cantilena (2001), for oboe quintet
Snapshots (2002), for large ensemble
Crying Out Loud (2003), for large ensemble
A Short Procession (2003), for piano trio
Eulogy (2003), for viola solo and small ensemble
No Let Up (2003), for ensemble
A Fast Stomp (2004), for piano trio
A Slow Pavane (2004–2005), for piano trio
Bleak Moments (2005), for horn and string quartet
Fanfare (from all sides) (2006), for brass ensemble
Returning (2006), for string sextet
Tango (2007), for ensemble
Out of Black Dust (2007–08), for brass ensemble
Twisted Blues with Twisted Ballad (2008), for string quartet
Grazioso! (2009), for small ensemble
Five Processionals (2009), for clarinet, violin, cello and piano
GG (2010), for cello and percussion
Three for Two (2010), for piano quartet
Amelia's March (2010), for small ensemble
Undance (2011), for ensemble
Instrument and Piano
A Few Serenades (2004), for cello and piano
Four Chants (2008), for violin and piano
Solo Instrument
An Aria (with Dancing), trumpet (2004)
Ah, Quegli Occhi!, soprano saxophone (2006)
Air with Variations, guitar (2007)
Cradle Song, clarinet (2009)
Leap, clarinet (2010)
Piano
Vocal
Lament for a Hanging Man (1983), for soprano and ensemble
Some Days, song cycle, mezzo-soprano and orchestra (1989)
Greek Suite (1989), for mezzo-soprano, tenor soli and ensemble
The Torn Fields (2000–2002), song cycle for baritone and large ensemble
When I Woke, baritone and chamber orchestra (2001)
Two Baudelaire Songs (2003–04), for soprano and ensemble
About Water (2006), for solo jazz singer; soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass soli; solo instrumental septet and large ensemble
A Constant Obsession (2007), song cycle for tenor and ensemble
Bellamy (2008), for countertenor and singing harpist
Incidental/Film
Electronic/Electroacoustic
Other
Anthem by Peter Erskine, ed. Turnage (1996), for jazz trio and chamber orchestra
On the CD Music to Hear (Black Box, BBM 1065, 2001)[4][5]:
- Two Memorials (1997–2001)
- An Invention on "Solitude" (1997–98, rev. 1999)
- Sleep On (1992)
- Cortège for Chris
- Two Elegies Framing a Shout (1994)
- Three Farewells (1990)
- Tune for Toru (1995–1999)
FOR PERCUSSION
Chamber
Solo Instrument
Marimba
Solo Percussion
Percussion Ensemble
Percussion Method Books and Etudes
TURNAGE LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Turnage on Turnage ~ top of page ~
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Mark-Anthony Turnage: How I Composed a Fanfare for the Proms (The Guardian)
Mark-Anthony Turnage: A Life in Music (Nicholas Wroe, The Guardian)
Composer website (at Schott Music) . . . contact Mark-Anthony Turnage: here (Schott) and here (Boosey & Hawkes)
Composer website (at Boosey & Hawkes)
Turnage @ Wikipedia
Turnage @ Answers.com
Turnage @ Classical Archives
Turnage @ Classical Composers Database
Turnage @ Classical Net
Turnage @ ClassicsToday (via Google Advanced Search)
Turnage @ composition:today
Turnage @ Facebook
Turnage @ The Guardian
Turnage @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Turnage @ InstantEncore
Turnage @ IRCAM
Turnage @ Klassika (in German)
Turnage @ LinkedIn
Turnage @ Modern Classical
Turnage @ MusicWeb International
Turnage @ musicianguide.com
Turnage @ MySpaceMusic
Turnage @ Naxos
Turnage @ Cathy Nelson
Turnage @ The New York Times
Turnage @ NMC Recordings
Turnage @ NNDB
Turnage @ Piano Society [Bowles; William Duckworth; Heino Eller; Mompou; Respighi; Turina]
Turnage @ PRS for Music Foundation
Turnage @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Turnage @ US Opera/ http://www.usopera.com/composers/
http://www.musicsage.org
X @ glbtq.com [Bussotti; Davies; Del Tredici; Diamond; Griffes; Henze; McPhee; Rorem; Susa; Tippett]
Publisher
Turnage @ Boosey & Hawkes
Turnage @ Schott Music
Streaming Audio
Turnage @ Composer's website - check under individual work listings
Turnage @ Classical Archives
Turnage @ last.fm
Turnage @ MySpaceMusic
Turnage @ NPRmusic
Turnage @ PRX (Public Radio Exchange)/ http://www.prx.org/
Turnage @ Rhapsody.com
Turnage @ SoundCloud
Recordings
Turnage @ Composer's website
Turnage @ Amazon.com
Turnage @ ArkivMusic
Turnage @ CD Universe
Turnage @ ClassicsOnline
Turnage @ Discogs
Turnage @ itunes
Turnage @ Naxos
Turnage @ NMC Recordings
Video
Turnage @ YouTube
Turnage @ Google Video
Turnage @ Vimeo (via Google Advanced Search) http://www.google.ca/advanced_search
~ top of page ~
Turnage on Turnage: Interview/Pendulum New Music (VIDEO)
Turnage on Turnage: On Composing (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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