James Crabb Photo: Christoffer Askman
New Zealanders are finally getting to hear the fruits of a collaboration between Aotearoa-born composer Lyell Cresswell and the Scottish accordion player James Crabb, with the premiere in this country of Cresswell's 'Dragspil' for accordion and orchestra.
Cresswell wrote 'Dragspil' (which means accordion in Icelandic) for a BBC Proms performance by James Crabb in 1995, but it’s taken almost 30 more years for him to bring it here.
James Crabb told Three to Seven’s Bryan Crump it was sad Cresswell, who died last year, wasn’t able to hear the New Zealand premiere himself.
Mastering Cresswell’s score was a challenge, James says, but that’s the way he thinks it should be - he avoids trying to dictate what can or can’t be played on the instrument.
“I leave it up to composers to use their imagination and their creativity, and if there are any problems, I’ll solve them."
You can listen to Bryan’s conversation with James below: how he became a classical accordion player and other musical adventures, including a bit-part in Brett Dean’s opera 'Hamlet', as one of the “travelling players”.
Dragspil
James Crabb (accordion), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Luke Dollman (conductor)
Thursday 18 May 2023, 7.30pm, Auckland Town Hall
