Mark-Anthony Turnage

Mark-Anthony Turnage (born 10 June 1960 in Corringham, Essex) is a prolific^[1] English composer of classical music. His initial musical studies were with Oliver Knussen, John Lambert, and later with Gunther Schuller.^[2] He also has been strongly influenced by jazz, in particular by the work of Miles Davis.

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. He enjoys the reputation of being one of the few modern classical composers who can write 'proper modern jazz'.

Turnage has composed numerous orchestral and chamber works, and two widely-performed operas. Greek, first performed in 1988 at the Munich Biennale, is based on Steven Berkoff's adaptation of Oedipus the King. The Silver Tassie, first performed in 2000, is based on the play by Seán 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, Turnage was appointed the first Radcliffe Composer in Association with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, Turnage was named a co-composer-in-residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position he held alongside Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov.

In Autumn 2005, he was appointed the Royal College of Music's Research Fellow in Composition. In September 2006, he married the cellist Gabriella "Gabi" Swallow, for whom he wrote the 2010 piece for cello and percussion, GG.

1 Works
2 References
3 External links

Works

Opera

Premiere	Title	Description	Libretto and source
1988061717 Jun 1988, Munich Biennale	Greek	Opera in 2 acts, 90'	the composer and Jonathan Moore, after the play by Steven Berkoff
1997061716 Jun 1997, Aldeburgh Festival	Twice Through the Heart	dramatic scena for mezzo-soprano and ensemble, 30'	Jackie Kay
1997061716 Jun 1997, Aldeburgh Festival	Country of the Blind	Chamber opera
2000021616 Feb 2000, English National Opera	Silver TassieThe Silver Tassie	Opera in four acts, 120'	Amanda Holden, after the play by Seán O'Casey
2011021717 Feb 2011, Royal Opera House, London^[3]	Anna Nicole	Opera in two acts, 120'	Richard Thomas

Ballet

From All Sides (2005–06)
Undance (2011)

Orchestral

Night Dances (1981), for offstage string quintet, solo instrumental group and orchestra
Three Screaming Popes (1988–89)
Some Days (1989), song cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra
Momentum (1990–1991)
Drowned Out (1992–1993)
Your Rockaby (1992–93), for soprano saxophone and orchestra
Dispelling the Fears (1994–1995), for two trumpets and orchestra
Scorched (1996–2001), for jazz trio and orchestra
Still Sleeping (1997)
Evening Songs (1998)
Silent Cities (1998)
About Time (1999–2000), for ensemble and chamber orchestra of period instruments
Another Set To (1999–2000), concerto for trombone and orchestra
A Quick Blast (2000), for orchestral winds, brass and percussion
Dark Crossing (2000), for chamber orchestra
Etudes and Elegies (2000–2002)
Four-Horned Fandango (2000), for four horns and orchestra
On Opened Ground (2000–2001), concerto for viola and orchestra
Uninterrupted Sorrow (2000–2001)
Fractured Lines (2001), double concerto for two percussion and orchestra
When I Woke (2001), for baritone and chamber orchestra
A Quiet Life (2002), for string orchestra
A Man Descending (2003), for tenor saxophone and chamber orchestra
Riffs and Refrains (2003), concerto for clarinet and orchestra
Scherzoid (2003–04)
A Soothing Interlude (2004), for trombone and orchestra
From the Wreckage (2004), concerto for trumpet and orchestra
Yet Another Set To (2004), concerto for trombone and orchestra
Ceres (2005)
Hidden Love Song (2005), for soprano saxophone and chamber orchestra
Juno (2005)
Lullaby for Hans (2005), for string orchestra
Three Asteroids (2005)
The Torino Scale (2005)
From All Sides (2005–06)
A Prayer Out of Stillness (2007), concertante for double bass (doubling bass guitar) and string orchestra
Chicago Remains (2007)
Five Views of a Mouth (2007), concerto for flute and orchestra
Mambo, Blues and Tarantella (2007), concerto for violin and orchestra
Texan Tenebrae (2009)
Hammered Out (2010)

Choral

The Game Is Over (2001–2002), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra
A Relic of Memory (2003), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra
Calmo (2003), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir and bells
Two Fanfares and a Lament (2003), for S.A.T.B. choir and large ensemble
Christmas Night (2006), for S.A.T.B. choir and piano
Claremont Carol (2006), for upper-voice choir and piano or organ
Miserere 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 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 Few Serenades (2004), for cello and piano
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
Four Chants (2008), for violin and piano
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
Silem (2010), for solo trumpet and big band
Undance (2011), for ensemble

Vocal

Lament for a Hanging Man (1983), for soprano and ensemble
Some Days (1989), song cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra
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 (2001), song cycle for baritone and orchestra
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

Solo instrumental

An Aria (with Dancing) (2004), for trumpet
Ah, Quegli Occhi! (2006), for soprano saxophone
Air with Variations (2007), for guitar
Cradle Song (2009), for clarinet
Leap (2010), for clarinet

Other

Anthem by Peter Erskine, ed. Turnage (1996), for jazz trio and chamber orchestra

References

^ "Birthday: Mark-Anthony Turnage", The Times (10 June 2010)
^ "Mark-Anthony Turnage Biography". Boosey & Hawkes. http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main.asp?composerid=16405&ttype=BIOGRAPHY&ttitle=Biography/. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
^ "2010/2011 Season" at the Royal Opera House

External links

Mark-Anthony Turnage at Schott Music Schott Music ltd.

Persondata
Name	Turnage, Mark-Anthony
Alternative names
Short description	English composer
Date of birth	10 June 1960
Place of birth	Corringham, Essex
Date of death
Place of death