Tippett - The Vision of Saint Augustine

Michael Tippett, in an extraordinary musical tour de force. I was astounded when I first heard it. Too long to include at once, here are the outer movements - the Allegro con Brio and the Allegro Molto. The profoundly affecting central Adagio Cantabile is elsewhere on my video list. It took a while for me to appreciate this piece fully - and isn't that true of everything in art that is lasting? I have fond memories of cycling around Suffolk with this entire concerto in my head, such was its impact on me. Apologies for the bad pan and scan "out of frame" mistakes. I'm learning some new slideshow software and aim to replace this with a more polished version. The images here are photos I took of parts England's Derbyshire Peak District, and of London. I used them simply because they are of England, which is Tippett's home territory. Given that he was a conscientious objector in WW2, I doubt he'd be impressed by my pics of the Household Cavalry, but I'd like to think the great man would forgive me. From Wikipedia: Like other works of the composer's early maturity such as the First Piano Sonata and the String Quartet no.1, the Concerto is characterized by rhythmic energy and a direct melodic appeal. The influence of Bartok and Stravinsky can be shown, as well as that of the 17th century English Madrigal School. From these, and from folk-song, Tippett derives his distinctive and personal technique of 'additive rhythm'. This has been described as 'a kind of rhythm the effect of which is determined by an accumulation of irregular, unpredictable accents in the music'.[1] The composer David Matthews describes the effect thus: "It is the rhythmic freedom of the music, its joyful liberation from orthodox notions of stress and phrase length, that contributes so much to its vitality". By dividing the orchestra into two equal and identical sections Tippett is able to play one off against the other, using syncopation and imitation to add further to the rhythmic vitality and propulsion of the music. This antiphonal effect is similar to that found in Renaissance and early Baroque choral music by composers such as Monteverdi and Gabrieli. The first movement (Allegro con brio) is in Sonata Form and contrasts a vigorous, driving theme in octaves with a more delicate, lightly scored idea on violins and cellos. The slow movement (Adagio cantabile) opens with one of Tippett's most affecting and heartfelt melodies for low solo violin, revealing the composer's deep love of Blues, especially the singing of Bessie Smith. A fugue offers chromatic contrast, and the movement is rounded off by a return of the opening tune on solo cello. In the rondo finale (Allegro molto) Tippett uses a theme based on a Northumbrian bagpipe tune to bring the work to an exciting and uplifting climax. Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Conducted by Sir Neville Marriner

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Sir Michael Tippett - Concerto for Double String Orchestra (Outer Movements)