You are on page 1of 1

9/17/2015

GilesSwayneLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical

Search
RepertoireSearch
Home

Composers

News

Genre

Listen

Rental

License

OnDemand

Film&TV /

Calendar

Buy

Pops

Composers
Giles Swayne
> ShortBio
> LongBio
> Snapshot

Giles Swayne
Born: 1946
Nationality: British
Publisher: Novello & Co
Photo Alice Williamson

> News
> Works
> Performances
> Discography
> Photos
> Listen

GilesSwayneoccupiesahighlyindividualpositionontheBritishmusicalscene.Out
ofalignmentwiththeavantgarde,withminimalismandwithdiehardtraditionalism,
hestillbelongsanywherebutthemiddleoftheroad.Hismusicisdrivenequallyby
hispassionatebeliefsandbyhiscloseinvolvementwiththepracticalbusinessof
musicmaking.Thelattercansometimesleadtoapparentlyflippantbutmeaningful
performancedirections,suchascrunchtimeforadoublestoppedstringclimax,or
inanarrativewindquintettakeBASSCLARINETandpreparetobeBAD.Yetforall
theidiosyncratichumourwhichpervadeshisscores,andoccasionallyeventheir
titles,hisapproachtotheprocessofcompositionisalwaysseriousandmeticulous.
ThelateSusanBradshaw,alongtimefriendandmentor,wroteintheNewGrove
Dictionaryofhisfascinationwithstructuraldesignandthedetailedplanningthat
goesintoallofhisdiverseworks.
SwaynewasborninHertfordshireinJune1946,andgrewupchieflyinLiverpool
andYorkshire.Heplayedthepianofromanearlyage,andalsobeganwritingmusic,
encouragedbyhiscomposercousinElizabethMaconchy.HestudiedatTrinity
College,Cambridge,attheRoyalAcademyofMusicinLondonwithHarrison
Birtwistle,AlanBushandNicholasMaw,andlaterinOlivierMessiaenscomposition
classinParis.Duringthe1970s,hespentsometimeworkingasarptiteurandas
ateacher,buthealsocomposedprolifically.Hisworksfromthatdecadeincludetwo
substantialorchestralscores,theengagingOrlandosMusicandthedazzling
PentecostMusic.AndheenjoyedgreatsuccesswithCRY,anepichymnto
Creationfor28voices,amplifiedandelectronicallytreated,whichwasfirst
performedin1980.
CRYdrawsonideasfromthemusicofAfrica,butitwasonlyin1981/82thatSwaynemadehisfirstvisittothecontinent,a
studytriptoSenegalandTheGambia.Later,hespentmuchofthe1990slivinginKonkonuruineasternGhana.African
melodiesandinterlockingrhythmsplayapartinsomeofhisworks,includinghistwopopularchoralpiecesMagnificatIand
MissaTiburtina.Butmoreimportantly,hissojournslefthimwithaburningdesiretoemulatethetraditionalroleofmusicin
everydayAfricanactivitiesandrituals,andanabidingangeratthedegradationofsomanyhumanlives,andofthenatural
world,bycarelessness,intolerance,warandgreed.Thisisreflectedinmanyofhisworks,aboveallCRYsdarkerandmore
complexcompanionpiece,HAVOC.
Overtheyears,Swaynesmusichasshownconsiderablestylisticvariation.Themid1980ssawadrasticsimplificationofhis
musicallanguage,whichhelaterdescribedaswashingmyearsout.Buthewentontoadoptalessrestrictedmannerof
modalwriting,producinganewdensityoftextureandincidentasintheunjustlyneglectedTheSongofLeviathan,forlarge
orchestra.Sadly,hiscataloguelacksafullscaledramaticwork:aprojectedHamletoperainthe1990sfellfoulofoperatic
politicsandfornowremainsunfinished.Butthereareworksfororchestrasofdifferentsizes,includingvaluableconcertante
piecesfororganandguitar.Thereisawiderangeofchoralmusic,includingaswellasthepiecesalreadymentionedthe
movingthrenodyTheSilentLandandthethrillingTheTiger,andnumerousshorteritems(someusefullygatheredinapairof
volumes).Therearechamberandvocalcompositionsrangingfromtheabstracttothehighlytheatrical,andmanysolo
instrumentalworks,includingtheseriesofmonologuescalledCanto,whichofferrewardingtechnicalandmusicalchallenges.
Andthroughallthisvarietyofmeansandstyles,Swaynescompositionalvoiceremainsdistinctively,uniquelyhisown.
AnthonyBurtonJune2008

Clickheretoreceiveregularnews

AboutUs / FAQ / PrivacyPolicy / ContactUs


Copyright2014MusicSalesClassical.PartoftheMusicSalesGroup.

http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/longbio/GilesSwayne

1/1

You might also like