Mark-Anthony Turnage (born 10 June 1960 in Corringham, Essex) is an English composer of classical music. He has also been strongly influenced by jazz, and by Miles Davis in particular. His initial musical studies were with Oliver Knussen, John Lambert, and later with Gunther Schuller.[1]
Turnage's music has a characteristic personal style, with strong rhythmic thrust, involved jazz harmonies, colourful orchestration with prominent use of percussion, and hints of various orchestrational sounds from Duke Ellington to 1970s TV detective series theme tunes[citation needed]. He enjoys the reputation of being one of the few modern classical composers who can write 'proper modern jazz'[citation needed].
He is the author of numerous orchestral and chamber works, and of two widely-performed operas. Greek, first performed in 1988, is based on Steven Berkoff's adaptation of Oedipus the King. The Silver Tassie, first performed in 2000, is based on the play by Sean O'Casey. Other works include Three Screaming Popes (after the paintings by Francis Bacon) and Your Rockaby, a concerto for saxophone and orchestra, and a concerto for trombone and orchestra: "Yet Another Set To", dedicated to Christian Lindberg.
In 1990, the post of Radcliffe Composer in Association with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was created, and Turnage appointed. In 2006, Turnage was named a co-composer-in-residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position which he will hold alongside Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov.
In Autumn 2005, he was appointed as the Royal College of Music's Research Fellow in Composition. In September 2006, he married the cellist Gabriella Swallow. They have one son, Milo.
Works
Opera
- Greek (1986-88), in two acts
- Country of the Blind (1997), chamber opera
- The Silver Tassie (1997-99), in four acts
Ballet
Orchestral
- Night Dances (1981), for offstage string quintet, solo instrumental group & orchestra
- Three Screaming Popes (1988-89)
- Some Days (1989), song-cycle for mezzo-soprano & orchestra
- Momentum (1990-1991)
- Drowned Out (1992-1993)
- Your Rockaby (1992-93), for soprano saxophone & orchestra
- Dispelling the Fears (1994-1995), for two trumpets & orchestra
- Scorched (1996-2001), for jazz trio & orchestra
- Still Sleeping (1997)
- Evening Songs (1998)
- Silent Cities (1998)
- About Time (1999-2000), for ensemble & chamber orchestra of period instruments
- Another Set To (1999-2000), concerto for trombone & orchestra
- A Quick Blast (2000), for orchestral winds, brass & percussion
- Dark Crossing (2000), for chamber orchestra
- Etudes and Elegies (2000-2002)
- Four-Horned Fandango (2000), for four horns & orchestra
- On Open Ground (2000-2001), concerto for viola & orchestra
- Uninterrupted Sorrow (2000-2001)
- Fractured Lines (2001), double concerto for two percussion & orchestra
- When I Woke (2001), for baritone & chamber orchestra
- A Quiet Life (2002), for string orchestra
- A Man Descending (2003), for tenor saxophone & chamber orchestra
- Riffs and Refrains (2003), concerto for clarinet & orchestra
- Scherzoid (2003-04)
- A Soothing Interlude (2004), for trombone & orchestra
- From the Wreckage (2004), concerto for trumpet & orchestra
- Yet Another Set To (2004), concerto for trombone & orchestra
- Ceres (2005)
- Hidden Love Song (2005), for soprano saxophone & chamber orchestra
- Juno (2005)
- Lullaby for Hans (2005), for string orchestra
- Three Asteroids (2005)
- The Torino Scale (2005)
- A Prayer Out of Stillness (2007), concertante for double bass & chamber orchestra
- Chicago Remains (2007)
- Five Views of a Mouth (2007), concerto for flute & orchestra
- Mambo, Blues and Tarantella (2007), concerto for violin & orchestra
Choral
- The Game Is Over (2001-2002), for S.A.T.B. choir & orchestra
- A Relic of Memory (2003), for S.A.T.B. choir & orchestra
- Calmo (2003), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir & bells
- Two Fanfares and a Lament (2003), for S.A.T.B. choir & large ensemble
- Christmas Night (2006), for S.A.T.B. choir & piano
- Claremont Carol (2006), for upper-voice choir & piano (or organ)
- Misere Nobis (2006), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
Chamber
- On All Fours (1985), for chamber ensemble
- Release (1987), for soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano & double bass
- Kai (1989-1990), for cello solo & ensemble
- Three Farewells (1989-1990), for flute, bass clarinet, harp & string quartet
- Set To (1992-1993), for brass dectet
- This Silence (1992-1993), for clarinet, bassoon, horn & string quintet
- Blood on the Floor (1993-1996), for jazz quartet & large ensemble
- Barrie's Deviant Fantasy (1995), for string quartet & referee's whistles
- Bass Invention (1999-2000), for double bass solo & 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 & small ensemble
- No Let Up (2003), for ensemble
- A Fast Stomp (2004), for piano trio
- A Few Serenades (2004), for cello & piano
- A Slow Pavane (2004-2005), for piano trio
- Bleak Moments (2005), for horn & 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
- Four Chants (2008), for violin & piano
- Grazioso! (2009), for small ensemble
- Five Processionals (2009), for clarinet, violin, cello & piano
Vocal
- Lament for a Hanging Man (1983), for soprano & ensemble
- Some Days (1989), song-cycle for mezzo-soprano & orchestra
- Greek Suite (1989), for mezzo-soprano, tenor soli & ensemble
- Twice Through the Heart (1994-96), dramatic scena for mezzo-soprano & ensemble
- The Torn Fields (2000-2002), song-cycle for baritone & large ensemble
- When I Woke (2001), song-cycle for baritone & orchestra
- Two Baudelaire Songs (2003-04), for soprano & ensemble
- About Water (2006), for solo jazz singer, S.Mz.T.B. soli, solo instrumental septet & large ensemble
- A Constant Obsession (2007), song-cycle for tenor & ensemble
- Bellamy (2008), for counter-tenor and singing harpist
Solo Instrumental
- From The Wreckage (2004), for trumpet
- An Aria (with Dancing) (2004), for trumpet
- Ah, Quegli Occhi! (2006), for soprano saxophone
- Air with Variations (2007), for guitar
Other
- Anthem by Peter Erskine (ed. Turnage [1996]), for jazz trio & chamber orchestra
References
External links
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