TRACK LIST:
1. THE FRUIT OF CHANCE AND NECESSITY (for solo ‘cello and 13 instruments)
2. SONG FOR ICARUS (for flute/piccolo/alto flute and violin)
3. MUSIC FOR DOUBLE BASS AND HARP
4. RAUM GREIFT AUS (for solo piano)
5. JANUS (for flute/piccolo/alto flute and clarinet/bass & E flat clarinets)

Gwyn Pritchard 'The Fruit Of Chance And Necessity'

Genre: contemporary classical

This CD is the first comprehensive collection of UK composer Gwyn Pritchard’s main works, spanning nearly 40 years of his rich output. Featuring, amongst others, pianist Nicholas Hodges and cellist Beat Schneider, the compositions range from solos to ensemble pieces. The booklet contains an appraisal of his work by his daughter Dr. Alwynne Pritchard (composer, writer and broadcaster), who brings to life the musical pieces contained within the collection.

Often concerned with duality and the deployment of extremes, Pritchard’s music is both direct and elusive and an acknowledgement of its composer’s skill in articulating this balance between the known and the unknown, between things experienced and those yet to be discovered. Motivated by energy created from the friction between the tiniest of musical particles, exemplified by the title piece. As the composer himself states: "behind the evidently ’composed’ audible surface of my music there are usually a considerable number of operations dependent upon both chance and necessity". It is clear that there is much that we leave to chance or ignore at our peril. This release is definitely one not to be ignored.

Credits:
The Fruit of Chance and Necessity: Beat Schneider (solo ?cello) with Ensemble Phoenix Basel. Conducted by Jürg Henneberger
Recorded Basel, November 2004

Song for Icarus: Carin Levine (flutes) and David Alberman (violin). Recorded London, July 2007. Recording engineer/editor: Kit Venables

Music for Double Bass and Harp: Aleksander Gabrys (double bass) and Consuelo Giulianelli (harp). Recorded Basel, January 2006. Recording engineer: Christoph Bösch

Raum greift aus: Nicolas Hodges (piano). Recorded St George?s Brandon Hill, Bristol, May 1999. Recording engineer/editor: Paul Hodges

Janus: Philippe Racine (flutes) and Ernesto Molinari (clarinets). Recorded Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, November 1994.

Post production and mastering: Thorolf Thuestad

This CD is made possible through the generous financial support of the Britten-Pears Foundation.