We decided to get in early and ask Ross Edwards some questions about his most recent commission in honour of Ken Tribe (my grandfather).
This work is a very recent commission and is not due for completion until early 2014. The delivery of this piece will coincide with what would have been Ken’s 100th birthday, if he was still with us. We thought we’d get in early to ask him about the work as we were interested in his initial process and because we’ve noticed that composers can be quite voluminous once a work is finished (so we were being a bit sneaky to get a not-too lengthy post).
This is the first commission from the Ken Tribe Fund for Australian Composers and has been supported by Kim Williams.
When you compose a work are there a few key development stages for you?
I’m working on and off on the new quartet and it seems to be going well. With me, more ideas always start to accumulate as I progress, and I sometimes change direction.
Has Kim Williams given any direction about what he’d like?
Kim doesn’t wish to intervene in the creative process, apart from suggesting an approximate duration and some other practicalities.
Is the work being influenced by some of Ken’s favourite music?
It would be safe to say, at this early stage that the piece will be in five movements and that the overall theme is forest.
Have you previously worked with Kelemen Kvartett, who will be performing it?
I’ve not met, but have been watching on YouTube – they’re very good!
More to come…
It’s not due for completion/delivery until early 2014. He says:
By then, of course, I’ll be quite confident about it and will be able to spout volumes.
And we’re sure he will!
He’s just completing an orchestral score for the Houston Ballet.
This video: Kelemen Quartet plays in Francis Listz occasional small concert hall with 150 seats. They’re performing:
The String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, KV. 465 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, nicknamed “Dissonance” on account of its unusual slow introduction, is perhaps the most famous of his quartets. It is the last in the set of six quartets composed between 1782-1785 that he dedicated to Joseph Haydn. — Wikipedia
