Lyell Cresswell Photo: Gareth Watkins / Lilburn Trust / Wallace Arts Trust.
Marking New Zealand composer Lyell Cresswell's 70th birthday on 13 October 2014.
Charlotte Wilson spoke to Cresswell when he was in NZ in May 2014 and their talk covers everything from the composer's first work in his 'own voice' through to the NZ Music month première of The Clock Stops, commissioned by the NZSO.
Despite having lived in Scotland for most of his life, Cresswell identifies strongly with New Zealand and says of his two countries:
I've been living in Scotland for a long time but I don't see myself as a Scot. I am a New Zealander living in Scotland... I don't think my music sounds like British music generally speaking. It's things like the orchestration has a clarity which is something to do with being in NZ, being quieter. You're nearer to nature in New Zealand than you can be in Europe.
Music Details:
CRESSWELL: Alas How Swift - Michael Kirgan (tpt), New Zealand SO/ James Judd (Naxos 8.570824)
CRESSWELL: Salm, mvt 1 - New Zealand SO/ William Southgate (Continuum CCD 1034)
CRESSWELL: Prayer for the Cure of a Sprained Back - Jane Manning (sop) (MSV CD 92014)
CRESSWELL: Le sucre du printemps - Harry Sparnaay (bass and contrabass clarinets) (RNZ)
CRESSWELL: To aspro pano sto aspro, mvt 7 - Cappella Nova/ Alan Tavener (Linn CKD 014)
CRESSWELL: Cassandra - Exile - Madeleine Pierard (mezzo), New Zealand SO/ James Judd (Naxos 8.570824)
CRESSWELL: I Paesaggi dell'anima - New Zealand SO/ Hamish McKeich (Naxos 8.573199)
CRESSWELL: Acquarello - Stephen de Pledge (pno) (RNZ)
CRESSWELL: Piano conc, last mvt - Stephen de Pledge (pno), New Zealand SO/ Hamish McKeich (Naxos 8.573199)
CRESSWELL: The Clock Stops - Jonathan Lemalu (bbar), New Zealand SO/ James MacMillan (RNZ)
CRESSWELL: Of Whirlwind Underground - 175 East (Waiteata WTA 008)
