Gerald Barry
Encyclopedia
Gerald Barry is an Irish composer
.
Born in Clarecastle, County Clare
, Republic of Ireland
, he studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen
and Mauricio Kagel
. His music is notable for its inherent use of real thematic development. Although , paradoxically, Barry's music shifts between blocks of thematic material, often without any reason or preparation. There is an element of humour in his music, using titles such as '_____' and 'Bob', ending in unexpected places and shifting from avant-garde styles to rhythms reminiscent of Irish folk music. His operatic style seems to be modelled on that of G.F.Handel
and his theatrical gestures often embrace sexual and erotic themes in grotesque or bombastic ways. Quite often the structure of Gerald Barry's music happens at a medium-high level, such that long streams of similar durations and dynamics switch suddenly to a different type as though 'changing gear', with the pathos being in the contrast and in the micro-resemblances of harmonic/melodic material across the boundaries of these contrasting regions. Like Handel and Mozart he often conceives of material independently of its instrumental medium, recycling ideas from piece to piece as in the reworking of "Triorchic Blues" from a violin to piano piece. He is a particular specialist in writing for the bass voice; see "The Conquest of Ireland' and 'Beethoven' - his latest work setting some of the letters of Beethoven to his 'Immortal beloved'. Barry's word-settings are particular and could be described as somewhat revolutionary in gesture.
His works include:
Two of his operas and much of the chamber music have been recorded and distributed by NMC records in the UK and Ireland. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is recorded on the RTÉ label and available through Amazon.co.uk
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Born in Clarecastle, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, he studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
and Mauricio Kagel
Mauricio Kagel
Mauricio Kagel was a German-Argentine composer. He was notable for his interest in developing the theatrical side of musical performance .-Biography:...
. His music is notable for its inherent use of real thematic development. Although , paradoxically, Barry's music shifts between blocks of thematic material, often without any reason or preparation. There is an element of humour in his music, using titles such as '_____' and 'Bob', ending in unexpected places and shifting from avant-garde styles to rhythms reminiscent of Irish folk music. His operatic style seems to be modelled on that of G.F.Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
and his theatrical gestures often embrace sexual and erotic themes in grotesque or bombastic ways. Quite often the structure of Gerald Barry's music happens at a medium-high level, such that long streams of similar durations and dynamics switch suddenly to a different type as though 'changing gear', with the pathos being in the contrast and in the micro-resemblances of harmonic/melodic material across the boundaries of these contrasting regions. Like Handel and Mozart he often conceives of material independently of its instrumental medium, recycling ideas from piece to piece as in the reworking of "Triorchic Blues" from a violin to piano piece. He is a particular specialist in writing for the bass voice; see "The Conquest of Ireland' and 'Beethoven' - his latest work setting some of the letters of Beethoven to his 'Immortal beloved'. Barry's word-settings are particular and could be described as somewhat revolutionary in gesture.
His works include:
Operas
- The Intelligence Park (1990)
- The Triumph of Beauty and Deceit, originally written for television (1991-2)
- The Bitter Tears of Petra von KantThe Bitter Tears of Petra von KantThe Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is a 1972 German film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, based on his own play. This film has an all female cast and is set in the home of the protagonist, Petra von Kant. It follows the changing dynamics in her relationships with the other women...
(2005) to the play by Fassbinder (also, independently, the basis of a film of the same nameThe Bitter Tears of Petra von KantThe Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is a 1972 German film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, based on his own play. This film has an all female cast and is set in the home of the protagonist, Petra von Kant. It follows the changing dynamics in her relationships with the other women...
)
Selected other works
- The Conquest of Ireland
- Sur les Pointes
- The Eternal Recurrence, a setting of Nietzsche for voice and orchestra
- Wiener Blut
- Dead March
- Piano Quartet 1 and 2 (for the Ives Ensemble)
- Chevaux de Frise
- Water Parted (for the Siobhan DaviesSiobhan DaviesSiobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
ballet company, broadcast on BBC television in 1995)
Two of his operas and much of the chamber music have been recorded and distributed by NMC records in the UK and Ireland. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is recorded on the RTÉ label and available through Amazon.co.uk