David Bremner

Over the last year or so, I have been working on combining self-similar/fractal techniques (many that I found through Tom Johnson’s excellent book Self-Similar Melodies) with serialism (a technique I had never previously felt the need to explore but has suddenly interested me). Really happy with how this is going; the first finished piece was Developing Variations (can be found here in the recordings section- Paul Roe and Elizabeth Hilliard’s performances are really special), and I am currently working on focus, evasion for the Clarion Trio; a piece with lots of little movements that all have exactly the same shape, but different material.

logic ballad #2: The guarded tourist makes the guide the test is included on this CD on the Divine Art/Métier label, produced by Christopher Fox. Performance by Elizabeth Hilliard. Out now! The relevant page on the Divine Art website is:

http://www.divineartrecords.com/CD/28551info.htm

A performance of my work for plucked-string orchestra Half-Happening by the NRW JugendZupfOrchester conducted by Annika Hinsche, at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on 11/10/15. Looking forward to writing new works in 2016 for Annika (solo mandolin), and for trioLogie, a trio from the orchestra (mandolin, mandola, guitar).

Here are a few excerpts from my recent song-cycle of poetry by Billy Mills, Logical Fallacies. The performers are Andreea Banciu (viola) and Elizabeth Hilliard (soprano).

Manor Street

gate
walk
garden
 
snails
trike
blue
 
trough
float
stairs
 
string
cards
school
 
lodge
street
gate

This song

this song is not
the world is
 
this song is not
the world

(For Larry)

a poem
is always a poem
 
a moth
a moth
 
even
a stranger
 
caught
in a room
 
finding
no exit
 
in a park
by a river
in another city
 
not the one I was born in
not the one I live in now
 
a city at war
with itself

All texts are from Lares/Manes (Shearsman Books, 2009) © Billy Mills

Our previous collaboration, Loop Walks, a work of scored polyphonic poetry, is available from http://hardpressedpoetry.blogspot.ie/ and bealfestival@gmail.com

We’re planning to work on another project this year…

Interesting project here from the Association of Irish Composers, ‘Composers’ Commentaries’ a live discussion alongside the recording and score of a new work.

The subject in this one is my piece Gap Static, performed by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gavin Maloney. Interview by Dr. Peter Moran.

I’ve been playing lots of gamelan recently with the National Concert Hall ensemble Kyai Jati Roso. Looking forward to collaborating with UCD Gamelan and Gamelan Nua this year for a project exploring the combination of gamelan with pipe organ. This piece I wrote recently for the Happy Days festival fringe in Enniskillen has a definite gamelan influence, it’s a sort of text lancaran. Performance by myself (organ) and Elizabeth Hilliard (soprano).

The cover of the CD l’air du temps/the spirit of the times by myself and the piper Mark Redmond. The beautiful design is by Clare Lynch; it incorporates architectural motifs from Christ Church Cathedral Dublin, where the CD was recorded over four nights, attempting to dodge interruptions by city-centre traffic and seagulls.

Here is the first track, Amhrán na Leabhar. This type of arrangement is an attempt to add my own take on these self-sufficient melodies, not by ‘harmonising’ them, but by composing a new melody that complements the patterns of the original.

The CD is available from Tower Records, Claddagh Records, Christ Church Cathedral shop, or by emailing bealfestival@gmail.com