John Tilbury
Encyclopedia
John Tilbury is a British
pianist
. He is considered one of the foremost interpreters of Morton Feldman
's music, and since 1980 has been a member of the free improvisation
group AMM
.
with Arthur Alexander
and James Gibb and also with Zbigniew Drzewiecki
in Warsaw. 1968 he was the winner of the Gaudeamus competition in the Netherlands.
, whose music he has interpreted and recorded and a member of the Scratch Orchestra
. His biography of Cardew, "Cornelius Cardew - A life unfinished" was published in 2008.
Tilbury has also recorded the works of Howard Skempton
and John White
, among many others, and has also performed adaptations of the radio plays of Samuel Beckett
.
With guitarist AMM bandmate Keith Rowe
's electroacoustic ensemble M.I.M.E.O.
, Tilbury recorded The Hands of Caravaggio
, inspired by the painter's The Taking of Christ
{1602). In this live performance, twelve of the members of M.I.M.E.O. were positioned around the piano in a deliberate echo of Christ's Last Supper
. The thirteenth M.I.M.E.O. member (Cor Fuhler
) is credited with "inside piano" as he interacted and interfered with Tilbury's playing by manipulating and damping the instrument's strings, essentially doing piano preparation
in real time. Critic Brian Olewnick describes the album as "A staggering achievement, one is tempted to call The Hands of Caravaggio the first great piano concerto
of the 21st century."[].
Another notable recent recording of Tilbury's was Duos for Doris (like The Hands of Caravaggio also on Erstwhile Records
), a collaboration with Keith Rowe. It is widely considered a landmark recording in the genre of electroacoustic improvisation
(or "EAI").
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. He is considered one of the foremost interpreters of Morton Feldman
Morton Feldman
Morton Feldman was an American composer, born in New York City.A major figure in 20th century music, Feldman was a pioneer of indeterminate music, a development associated with the experimental New York School of composers also including John Cage, Christian Wolff, and Earle Brown...
's music, and since 1980 has been a member of the free improvisation
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
group AMM
AMM (group)
AMM are an important British free improvisation group, founded in London, England in 1965.AMM have never been well known to the general public, but have been incredibly influential on the field of improvised music...
.
Early life and education
Tilbury studied piano at the Royal College of MusicRoyal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
with Arthur Alexander
Arthur Alexander
Arthur Alexander was an American country soul singer. Jason Ankeny, music critic for Allmusic, said Alexander was a "country-soul pioneer" and though largely unknown, "his music is the stuff of genius, a poignant and deeply intimate body of work on par with the best of his...
and James Gibb and also with Zbigniew Drzewiecki
Zbigniew Drzewiecki
Zbigniew Drzewiecki was a Polish pianist especially associated with the interpretation of Chopin's works, who was for most of his life a teacher of pianists. His pupils include several famous pianists of the 20th century, and his influence was therefore very pervasive.Drzewiecki was born in Warsaw...
in Warsaw. 1968 he was the winner of the Gaudeamus competition in the Netherlands.
Musical career
During the 1960s, Tibury was closely associated with the composer Cornelius CardewCornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
, whose music he has interpreted and recorded and a member of the Scratch Orchestra
Scratch Orchestra
The Scratch Orchestra was an experimental musical ensemble founded in the spring of 1969 by Cornelius Cardew, Michael Parsons and Howard Skempton....
. His biography of Cardew, "Cornelius Cardew - A life unfinished" was published in 2008.
Tilbury has also recorded the works of Howard Skempton
Howard Skempton
Howard Skempton is a British composer and accordionist. Since the late 1960s, when he helped organize the Scratch Orchestra, he has been associated with the English school of experimental music...
and John White
John White (composer)
John White is an English composer and musical performer.-Life:White trained and taught at the London Royal College of Music...
, among many others, and has also performed adaptations of the radio plays of Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
.
With guitarist AMM bandmate Keith Rowe
Keith Rowe
Keith Rowe is an English free improvisation tabletop guitarist and painter. Rowe is a founding member of both the hugely influential AMM in the mid-1960s and M.I.M.E.O. Having trained as a visual artist, Rowe's paintings have been featured on most of his own albums...
's electroacoustic ensemble M.I.M.E.O.
M.I.M.E.O.
M.I.M.E.O. is an experimental electroacoustic free improvisation group formed in 1997 on the initiative of several independent concert promoters in Europe. The abbreviation stands for "Music In Movement Electronic Orchestra"...
, Tilbury recorded The Hands of Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
, inspired by the painter's The Taking of Christ
The Taking of Christ
The Taking of Christ is a painting by the Italian Baroque master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio , originally commissioned by nobleman Ciriaco Mattei. It is housed in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.-Description:...
{1602). In this live performance, twelve of the members of M.I.M.E.O. were positioned around the piano in a deliberate echo of Christ's Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
. The thirteenth M.I.M.E.O. member (Cor Fuhler
Cor Fuhler
Cor Fuhler is an Amsterdam-based musician who plays in the style of electroacoustic improvisation. His primary instrument is the piano . He explores the possibilities of the piano, manipulating it’s sound with use of various string stimulators like ebows, rotating threads and spinning disks...
) is credited with "inside piano" as he interacted and interfered with Tilbury's playing by manipulating and damping the instrument's strings, essentially doing piano preparation
Prepared piano
A prepared piano is a piano that has had its sound altered by placing objects between or on the strings or on the hammers or dampers....
in real time. Critic Brian Olewnick describes the album as "A staggering achievement, one is tempted to call The Hands of Caravaggio the first great piano concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
of the 21st century."[].
Another notable recent recording of Tilbury's was Duos for Doris (like The Hands of Caravaggio also on Erstwhile Records
Erstwhile Records
Erstwhile Records is an independent record label devoted to free improvisation, particularly the electroacoustic variety. Erstwhile was founded by Jon Abbey in 1999, and his knowledgeable personality and tastes are closely identified with the label.Characteristic label artists include guitarist...
), a collaboration with Keith Rowe. It is widely considered a landmark recording in the genre of electroacoustic improvisation
Electroacoustic improvisation
Electroacoustic improvisation is a style of music that incorporates aspects of both electroacoustic music and free improvisation.-Origins:Live electronics has been part of the sound art world since the 1930s with the early works of John Cage...
(or "EAI").
Selected discography
- 1975 - "John Cage: Sonatas & Interludes for Prepared Piano" - Decca
- 1988 - "Dave Smith's First Piano Concert" - Matchless
- 1996 - "Howard Skempton: Well, Well, Cornelius" - Sony Classical
- 1996 - "Cornelius Cardew: Piano Music 1959~70" - Matchless
- 1998 - "The Issue at Hand" (with Yoshikazu IwamotoYoshikazu IwamotoYoshikazu Iwamoto is a Japanese-born professional shakuhachi player living in the United Kingdom.-External links:* at...
, Eddie Prévost) 2CD - Matchless - 1999 - "Two Chapters and an Epilogue" (with Evan ParkerEvan ParkerEvan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
- Matchless - 2000 - "Morton Feldman: All Piano" 4CD - LondonHALL
- 2002 - MIMEO "The Hands of Caravaggio" - Erstwhile
- 2002 - "Christian Wolff: Early Piano Music (1951-1961)" - Matchless
- 2003 - Keith Rowe, John Tilbury "Duos for Doris" - Erstwhile
- 2004 - John Tilbury, Eddie Prévost "Discrete Moments" - Matchless
- 2005 - "Plays Samuel Beckett" - Matchless
- 2005 - "Barcelona Piano Solo" - Rossbin
- 2005 - Marcus SchmicklerMarcus SchmicklerMarcus Schmickler is a German composer, musician and producer. He is also known under the pseudonym Pluramon....
, John Tilbury "Variety" - A-Musik - 2009 - "Music for Piano and Strings by Morton Feldman volume 1" (with the Smith QuartetSmith QuartetThe Smith Quartet is a UK based string quartet founded in 1988 that specializes in the performance of contemporary classical music, and is actively performing worldwide and recording . They have premiered over 100 works by composers such as Kevin Volans, Graham Fitkin, Michael Nyman, Karl Jenkins,...
) DVD - Matchless