Michael Finnissy

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Michael Finnissy is an English composer and pianist born March 17, 1946 in Tulse Hill, London.

Contents

[edit] Style

Finnissy's own abilities as a pianist underlie many of his compositions. A significant number of these are piano transcriptions in his very complex style which typically involves irrational musical rhythmic values, virtuosic technique (in the piano pieces) and intricate linear, rather than harmonic, textures. He is often cited as a main member of the so-called New Complexity school, though he does not like the term. His transcriptions include works of, and/or references to, many composers of the Romantic tradition, including Verdi, Charles-Valentin Alkan and George Gershwin. Other significant influences on his music are folk music of many countries, the spontaneous style of Charles Ives, and the serialist approach of Arnold Schoenberg and his school (although Finnissy does not use tone rows). Some of his works (e.g. the cycle 'Unknown Ground') also express his social and political concerns.

Finnissy is also noted for his excellent musical handwriting.

[edit] Teaching

Finnissy, who was a pupil of the Webern disciple, Humphrey Searle, is highly regarded as a composition teacher, despite a somewhat uncompromising and acerbic approach, and has taught many of the new generation of British composers. Despite his own lack of 'formal' qualifications, which he himself sees as underlying his 'un-intellectual' or 'un-academic' credentials, he has taught at the Royal Academy of Music, the University of Sussex, and is currently Professor of composition at the University of Southampton.

[edit] Orchestral Music

  • Eph-phatha (1989) 2.1.1.1-1.1.1.0-perc-hp-pno-str 13'
  • Glad Day (1994) 2(or recorders).0.0.0-0.2.0.0-hp(or theorbo)-chamber organ-str (min 4.4.2.2(or bass violins).0) 13'
  • Plain Harmony (1993) unspecified orchestral ensemble 12'
  • Red Earth (1988) 3(III=picc).3.0.3-0.3.3.0-2didjeridus-4perc.2timpani-2hp-str (min 10.10.8.6.7) 19'
  • Speak its Name! (1996) 2.2.2.2-2.2.1.0-2vibraphones.timp-harp-¼ tone keyboard-strings (min 8.8.6.6.3) 22'

[edit] Chamber and Instrumental Music

  • Bright Future ignoring Dark Past (2000) violin, cello, piano 3'30"
  • Ének (1990) solo violin 9'
  • Greatest Hits of all time (2003) oboe solo, picc.cl-pno-1perc-vla.vlc.cb 13'
  • In stiller nacht (1990, rev. 1997) Independence Quadrilles (1995) violin, cello, and piano 7' & 5'
  • Kulamen Dilan (1990) soprano saxophone [or oboe, or any clarinet] and percussion 10'
  • Mars + Venus (1993) fl.ob.cl.bn-hn.tpt.tbn-perc-pno-2vn.va.vc.cb 15'
  • Molly-House (2004) unspecified instrumental ensemble (players choose from a set of conventionally, and partially, notated parts alongside 17 'transcribed' Handel arias) variable duration
  • Nowhere else to go (1989, rev. 2003) fl(+picc).cl(+bcl)-pno-vn.vc-tape 30'
  • Obrecht Motetten I (1989) fl.cl.bn-tpt.tbn-perc-vn.va.vc 5'
  • Obrecht Motetten II (1989) mandolin, guitar, and harp 10'
  • Obrecht Motetten III (1989-93) viola solo or viola with ensemble: fl.cl.bn-2tpt.tbn-mandolin.gtr-hp 5'
  • Obrecht Motetten IV (1990) brass quintet 14'
  • Obrecht Motetten V (1992) fl(+picc).3ssax-hn.3tpt.3tbn-pno-cb 18'
  • Plain Harmony (1993) string quartet 8'
  • Post-Christian Survival Kit (2005) unspecified instruments or instrumental components, unspecified percussion, physical actions which inadvertently produce a sound c. 10'
  • Recent Britain (1998) clarinet, bassoon, cello, and piano 25' ISBN 0-19-356450-5
  • Seterjentens fridag (2003) hardanger fiddle or violin (either solo or with accompaniment for reed organ and piano, or either one (live or pre-recorded) and instrumental quartet) 7'
  • Traum des Sängers (1994) clarinet, guitar, vibraphone, violin, viola, cello, and double bass 13'
  • Two Scenes from "Shameful Vice" (1995) solo harp 6' not yet published
  • Unknown Ground (1991) for baritone and piano trio
  • Various Nations (1992) narrator and chamber ensemble: fl(+picc).cl-hn-perc-gtr-vn.vc 10'
  • WAM (1991) piano and two unspecified treble instruments 15'

[edit] Keyboard Music

  • Collected Shorter Piano Pieces Volume 1 solo piano Mazurka Op 142 No 2 - Two Pasodobles - Autumnall - Freightrain Bruise - Kemp’s Morris - Short but... - GFH - BS - Taja - Lylyly li - Pimmel - Strauss-Walzer
  • Collected Shorter Piano Pieces Volume 2 solo piano Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man - Romeo and Juliet are Drowning - Mazurka Op 142 No 1- Vieux Noël - Svatovac - Terekkeme - Australian Sea Shanties (Second Set) - William Billings - Liz - Rossini - John Cage - There never was such hard times before - Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sind - Cibavit eos - Cozy Fanny’s Tootsies - My love is like a red, red, rose - De toutes flours - How Dear to Me - Stanley Stokes, East Street 1836 – Note on Stanley Stokes - Sometimes I... – French Piano - New Perspectives on Old Complexity - ...desde que naçe... – Yvaroperas 1-4
  • English Country Tunes (1977/rev.1982-1985) solo piano
  • Folklore (1993-4) solo piano I: 12', II: 25', III: 20', IV: 16'
  • Gershwin Arrangements (1975-88) based on melodies by George Gershwin (solo piano): How long has this been going on? - Things are looking up - "A Foggy Day" - Love is here to stay - They can’t take that away from me - Shall we dance? - They’re writing songs of love, but not for me - Fidgety feet - Embraceable you - Waiting for the sun to come out - Innocent ingenue baby - Blah, blah, blah - Boy wanted. Score ISBN 0-19-372639-4 (for copyright reasons, this score is not available for sale or performance in the USA)
  • The History of Photography in Sound (1995-2001)
    • 1. Le démon de l'analogie 25' 2. Le réveil de l'intraitable réalité 15' 3. North American Spirituals 20' 4. My parents' generation thought War meant something 40' 5. Alkan - Paganini 12' 6. Seventeen Immortal Homosexual Poets 40' 7. Eadweard Muybridge - Edvard Munch 25' 8. Kapitalistisch Realisme (met Sizilianische Männerakte en Bachsche Nachdichtungen) 75' 9. Wachtend op de volgende uitbarsting van repressie en censuur 12' 10. Unsere Afrikareise 30' 11. Etched bright with sunlight 25' piano solo c. 320' (one of the longest non-repetitive piano pieces written)
  • Is there any future for new music (2006)
  • Tangos (1962-99) a collection of 23 short pieces solo piano 25 minutes
  • Wee Saw Footprints (1990) nine short easy teaching pieces with a supplement solo piano 15'

[edit] Stage Works

  • Shameful Vice (1994) 3 sopranos, tenor, baritone, bass 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, harp, guitar, 2 violins, and double bass text by the composer, based on the last days of Tchaikovsky’s life 40'
  • Thérèse Raquin (1992-3) soprano, mezzo-soprano, counter-tenor, baritone, and piano stage work based on the novel and play by Emile Zola 90'
  • The Undivine Comedy (1986-8) soprano, counter-tenor, tenor, 2 baritones 2 piccolos, 2 oboes, 2 percussion, violin, viola, and cello stage work based on the play by Zygmunt Krasinski 110'

[edit] External links

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