LONDON (AP) — Harrison Birtwistle, the creator of daringly experimental modern music who was recognized as one of Britain’s greatest contemporary composers…
LONDON (AP) — Harrison Birtwistle, the creator of daringly experimental modern music who was recognized as one of Britain’s greatest contemporary composers, has died at 87. Birtwistle’s publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, said he died Monday at his home in Mere, southwest England. No cause of death was given. Birtwistle’s compositions, which ranged from chamber pieces to large-scale opera, were given prominent performances in venues including the Royal Opera House, the English National Opera, the Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin, the BBC Proms in London and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. His unapologetically challenging work sometimes tried the patience of listeners, but the composer was unperturbed. “The question of accessibility,” Birtwistle once said, “is not my problem.” “I have an idea. I express it as clearly as I can. Criticism is someone else’s problem,” he added. Martyn Brabbins, music director of the English National Opera, said Birtwistle “was a much-loved collaborator and mentor whose work has inspired generations of musicians.” The Royal Philharmonic Society said on Twitter that he was “a true musical colossus” whose music “shook the earth.” Short on conventional harmony and heavy on complex rhythms, Birtwistle’s music was often described as having an abrasive quality. In 1995, his piece “Panic” had a high-profile premiere on live television as part of the hugely popular “Last Night of the Proms” concert. The BBC was inundated with complaints.
