King's Wood Symphony
Encyclopedia
King's Wood Symphony is a musical composition by Matthew King
, specifically designed to be performed in a large open, outdoor space and lasting approximately an hour. The original scoring is for a minimum of 19 french horns with electronics, percussion and wind-up gramophones. The electro-acoustic score (realised by the composer Nye Parry working in collaboration with Matthew King) consists of horn sounds, treated and altered electronically to suggest an ensemble of invisible and mysteriously ‘different’ horns.
The composition (commissioned jointly by Stour Valley Arts in Kent and the Wigmore Hall
in London) draws on the historical connotations of the horn in relation both to musical history and its ancient use as a hunting instrument as well as the horn’s more recent association with Romanticism
and the orchestral repertoire. At the start of the work, simple calls are passed from solo to duo to trio to quartet to sextet, ending with responses from an ensemble of extra horns and electronics. As the piece progresses, the different groups begin to walk to new positions so that the music takes on an element of mobility. A chain of calls continues to sound across the space, as each group of players respond to each other over large distances. This chain of responses develops into more elaborate music as the groups move closer together culminating in a final section where the entire ensemble of horns joins together. A quodlibet
with all the main themes in counterpoint leads to a coda in which groups of horn calls are answered by electronic responses from another part of the forest.
The critic, Robert Maycock, was present at the premiere of the symphony, in June 2007, when a torrential thunderstorm interrupted the performance. He wrote of the event:
The first complete performance took place in September 2007 in King’s Wood, Challock, Kent (UK). The performance covered roughly three quarters of a mile of forest and involved 20 french horns and electronics as well as an installation of 16 horn-gramophones and a percussion ensemble playing separate but related material (not reproduced in this score). The audience was encouraged to move freely around the forest. Each listener was given a map with a suggested route which would allow them to hear the piece from numerous perspectives. One significant element of the King’s Wood Symphony is that members of the audience hear the score in strikingly different ways depending on their aural perspective in relation to the performance.
The instrumentation of King's Wood Symphony is as follows':
1. Horn Solo
2. Horn Duo
3. Horn Trio
4. Horn Quartet
5. Horn Sextet
6. Extra horn group in 3 parts
7. Electronics
Optional elements:
Percussion ensemble of gongs and log drums (separate score)
16 horn gramophones
In the first performance of King’s Wood Symphony, horn students from the Royal Academy of Music
, London and Chethams School of Music, Manchester along with members of the British horn Society were led by Richard Watkins
. The performance was conducted by Matthew King
. Electronics were operated by Nye Parry. The percussion was performed by Sekgura.
Two Chamber versions of King’s Wood Symphony were premiered in the Wigmore Hall in June 2007. The first is a trio for horn, violin and piano; the second is for a dectet of horns and electronics distributed around the hall. Both pieces use material from the original score. In the Trio, new material for violin and piano counterpoint with the original material in the solo horn part. The dectet is a reduction of the larger work for standard concert performance.
Matthew King (composer)
Matthew King is a British composer and pianist. His works include opera, piano and chamber music, choral and orchestral pieces.-Career:...
, specifically designed to be performed in a large open, outdoor space and lasting approximately an hour. The original scoring is for a minimum of 19 french horns with electronics, percussion and wind-up gramophones. The electro-acoustic score (realised by the composer Nye Parry working in collaboration with Matthew King) consists of horn sounds, treated and altered electronically to suggest an ensemble of invisible and mysteriously ‘different’ horns.
The composition (commissioned jointly by Stour Valley Arts in Kent and the Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
in London) draws on the historical connotations of the horn in relation both to musical history and its ancient use as a hunting instrument as well as the horn’s more recent association with Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
and the orchestral repertoire. At the start of the work, simple calls are passed from solo to duo to trio to quartet to sextet, ending with responses from an ensemble of extra horns and electronics. As the piece progresses, the different groups begin to walk to new positions so that the music takes on an element of mobility. A chain of calls continues to sound across the space, as each group of players respond to each other over large distances. This chain of responses develops into more elaborate music as the groups move closer together culminating in a final section where the entire ensemble of horns joins together. A quodlibet
Quodlibet
A quodlibet is a piece of music combining several different melodies, usually popular tunes, in counterpoint and often a light-hearted, humorous manner...
with all the main themes in counterpoint leads to a coda in which groups of horn calls are answered by electronic responses from another part of the forest.
The critic, Robert Maycock, was present at the premiere of the symphony, in June 2007, when a torrential thunderstorm interrupted the performance. He wrote of the event:
Unfinished symphonies have a certain hold on the imagination.. but the North Downs' contribution to the sub-genre will take some beating: a site-specific symphony, one that could never sound the same way twice, in which rain stopped play... The audience followed a path through the forest and the weather turned the first 15 minutes into a magical experience, and the next into something like the band that played as the Titanic went down.
The first complete performance took place in September 2007 in King’s Wood, Challock, Kent (UK). The performance covered roughly three quarters of a mile of forest and involved 20 french horns and electronics as well as an installation of 16 horn-gramophones and a percussion ensemble playing separate but related material (not reproduced in this score). The audience was encouraged to move freely around the forest. Each listener was given a map with a suggested route which would allow them to hear the piece from numerous perspectives. One significant element of the King’s Wood Symphony is that members of the audience hear the score in strikingly different ways depending on their aural perspective in relation to the performance.
The instrumentation of King's Wood Symphony is as follows':
1. Horn Solo
2. Horn Duo
3. Horn Trio
4. Horn Quartet
5. Horn Sextet
6. Extra horn group in 3 parts
7. Electronics
Optional elements:
Percussion ensemble of gongs and log drums (separate score)
16 horn gramophones
In the first performance of King’s Wood Symphony, horn students from the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, London and Chethams School of Music, Manchester along with members of the British horn Society were led by Richard Watkins
Richard Watkins
Richard Watkins is a concerto soloist and chamber music player. He was Principal Horn of the Philharmonia from 1985 to 1996, a position he relinquished to devote more time to his solo career....
. The performance was conducted by Matthew King
Matthew King
Matthew Thomas King is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale played by Matt Healy. First appearing in 2004, Matthew arrived as part of the King family, a family of successful businessmen....
. Electronics were operated by Nye Parry. The percussion was performed by Sekgura.
Two Chamber versions of King’s Wood Symphony were premiered in the Wigmore Hall in June 2007. The first is a trio for horn, violin and piano; the second is for a dectet of horns and electronics distributed around the hall. Both pieces use material from the original score. In the Trio, new material for violin and piano counterpoint with the original material in the solo horn part. The dectet is a reduction of the larger work for standard concert performance.