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Threnody

This new edition of Michael Kieran Harvey's Threnody CD was originally released in 1995 by Astra. It received glowing reviews then, and greatly deserves fresh exposure. It contains premiere recordings of works by Michael Kieran Harvey, Carl Vine, Stuart Campbell, John McCaughey, Andrew Byrne, Keith Humble, and James Anderson.

The first piece on this CD, Toccata DNA (composed in 1993) also appears on Michael's PRTZL CD in a revised version (2017).

Artist

Michael Kieran Harvey

Australian pianist and composer, Dr Michael Kieran Harvey FAHA, is one of the foremost interpreters of contemporary piano music of his generation. A champion of Australian music and himself a composer, he regularly commissions new Australian music and has performed with Australia's leading contemporary music ensembles and orchestras.


Press quotes

“Addict strikes me as some of the best music on the disc, especially the passages in which the computer-altered piano sonorities are in the foreground ... Harvey's disc functions as one big piece (no mean feat, given that it involves the works of seven composers). The gaps between the works and movements are minimal so that the pieces tend to run into each other, and the music is distributed so as to allow a single shape to emerge. The first four of Vine's Five Bagatelles are second on the disc, but the fifth – which gives the disc its title – is placed last. Harvey's Addict which is the penultimate work, functions as the CD's climax, not only in terms of its raw energy and extended sound world, but also because the computer music contains references to other music already heard on the disc.”

— Andrew Ford, 24 Hours (ABC)

“Harvey's own works are the best-sounding ones ... Toccata DNA is written in the old developing variations technique. Its supreme lightness comes from germ cells ... This is fast, flashy and good music that deserves more exposure. The same goes for Addict, for piano and what sounds like live electronics ... The talented Harvey turns in truly fantastic performances of all this difficult music.”

— Lyle Chan, Soundscapes

“Re-mastered by the indispensable Martin Wright, this CD underlines with pretty heavy scoring the debt that Australian music owes to Harvey, whose dedication to the local product (both the significant and the not-so-remarkable) has remained unswerving across his long, seemingly tireless career. All these pieces occupy a compressed compositional time-span, testament to the performer’s intense curatorship as well as demonstrating a sudden temporal rush to the Australian compositional head/brain from composers both well-known and obscure. The recording is well worth obtaining as a witness to Harvey’s unfailing musicianship as well as a document of this country’s (well, Melbourne’s, mainly) aggressively active music scene and the wealth of talent at work in it across these few years.”

— Clive O'Connell, O'Connell the Music

Audio previews

Track Listing

  1. Toccata DNA Michael Kieran Harvey

    2. Five Bagatelles Carl Vine

  2. I. Darkly
  3. II. Leggiero e legato
  4. III. Gentle
  5. IV. Untitled
  6. Quaquaversal Stuart Campbell

    7. Eight Preludes John McCaughey

  7. I. Fluent
  8. II. Presto segreto
  9. III. Animated, hastening
  10. IV. Quick
  11. V. A sense of slow background tempo
  12. VI. Semplice
  13. VII. Leggiero, recitativo
  14. VIII. Serene
  15. Within Stanzas Andrew Byrne

    16. Eight Bagatelles Keith Humble

  16. I. Fast
  17. II. Slow
  18. III. For Tony P. very slow molto rubato
  19. IV. Move it
  20. V. Agitato
  21. VI. EKE Bounce easily (and naturally)
  22. VII. Slow
  23. VIII. Very fast
  24. Reveria im Neuen Stil James Anderson
  25. Addict Michael Kieran Harvey
  26. Five Bagatelles V. Threnody – for all the innocent victims Carl Vine

Performers

Composers

Carl Vine

Carl Vine first came to prominence in Australia as a composer of music for dance, with over 20 dance scores to his credit. His catalogue now includes six symphonies, six concertos, music for film, television and theatre, electronic music and numerous chamber works.

Stuart Campbell

Stuart Campbell, originally from New Zealand, was lecturer in Music at LaTrobe University, and a well-known keyboard performer and composer in a variety of areas including jazz and improvisation.

John McCaughey

John McCaughey is perhaps better known as a conductor of the Astra Chamber Music Society than as a composer.

Andrew Byrne

Andrew Byrne is a Australian composer based in New York, who has written works for film, dance, theater, and the concert hall. His music, which always betrays a fascination with polyrhythm, is influenced by American experimental music and non-Western music.

Keith Humble

In 1977, Keith Humble won the National Critics Award as the most outstanding recitalist working in Australia and he was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to music in 1982. He was a constant champion of Australian contemporary music and Percy Grainger.

James Anderson

James Anderson is a Melbourne composer, poet and pianist. He has written instrumental, chamber and electronic music.


Where to buy

Threnody is available as as CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.

Move CDs can be ordered through music retailers across Australia including Readings.

Product details

List price
$25.00 AUD
Contributor
Michael Hewes
Mastering
Martin Wright
Release date
2024
Copyright
© 1995 Astra Chamber Music Society
Phonogram
℗ 2024 Move Records
Categories
Australian, Classical, Keyboard
Catalogue number
MD 3475
Alternate catalogue number
MD3475
Barcode
EAN 9314574347524