His first chamber opera, Punch and Judy, premiered at the Aldeburgh Film Festival in 1968, and legend has it that the violence of its history and music infuriated much of its audience, including festival founder Benjamin Britten, who apparently passed away. . (Birtwistle himself directed a revival of opera at the festival in June 1991.) The Triumph of Time, in 1972, inspired by the woodcut of the same name by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, secured an international reputation and remains one of projects. Birtwistle, 39, was photographed by David Newell Smith in September 1973. Photo: David Newell Smith / the Observer In 1975, Birtwistle became musical director of the newly established Royal National Theater in London, where he was tasked with teaching Simon Callow, playing Mozart at the premiere of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, to play the piano convincingly. Birtwistle was knighted in 1988 and became an Honorary Fellow in 2001. While Birtwistle’s muted and jagged music can feel uncompromisingly aggressive, it also has a huge emotional punch and is exciting and intricate. Much of his work was based on his love of poetry and language and found inspiration in myths, rituals and folklore. An opera, Gawain, was based on the Middle English romance of Arthur the Knight. The Minotaur of 2008 brought back the Greek myth and the Mask of Orpheus (1986) explored the myth of Orpheus. Johan Reuter (Theseus) and John Tomlinson (The Minotaur) at Birtwistle’s The Minotaur at the Royal Opera House, revived in 2013. Photo: Tristram Kenton / the Guardian He became nationally famous in 1995 when his saxophone concerto, Panic, premiered on Last Night of the Proms. The play – the first piece of contemporary music to ever appear on Last Night – was scheduled for the second half of the concert and thus aired live on Saturday night to millions of viewers on BBC One. The work’s abrasive energy and noisy and violent soundtrack were described as “horrible cacophony” by some critics, and the BBC panel was filled with complaints from viewers that their ears had been attacked. Birtwistle continued to compose in his 70s and 80s. His eight-string duet in 2019 was nominated for a Basca-Ivors Composer Award (his 10th nomination). Moth Requiem for Female Voices, Harps and Flute, premiered in the UK at the 2013 Proms and won a Royal Philharmonic Society Award – its fifth, making it the most honored musician in RPS Award history. “One of the most beautiful and intense personal songs of recent times,” wrote Andrew Clements of the Guardian. Many conductors supported his music, including Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim and Antonio Pappano. Desperately sad news for Harry Bertwistle. A privilege that I met and worked with. And what a legacy – at least the 4 operas operated @SnapeMaltings @BrittenPears. Colossal figure and inspiration. I will miss you very much. – Roger Wright (@ rogerandout56) April 18, 2022 Among those who paid tribute to Twitter were Roger Wright of Aldeburgh Music and conductor Nicholas Collon, who said “what a visionary, what a virtuoso, what an inspiration.” Australian composer Liza Lim wrote: “He was a crucial composer for me: Secret Theater, Earth Dances, Mask of Orpheus among other great works.” BBC Radio 3 controller Alan Davey said: “He was a giant figure in classical music – a composer who steadfastly followed his instinct that humanity deserves to be reflected in intricate, unwavering music that permeates the soul and understands what it’s like to be man in them. times.”
