When I left Europe in 1987 I did so with the thought that my relevance as a composition teacher would benefit from a certain cool distance to certain tendencies I had been observing for several years with increasing disquiet. Brian Ferneyhough benefitcompositioncool share on social
Composers dialogue - and obsessively, bitterly argue - with other composers, often over the span of several centuries. Brian Ferneyhough arguebitterlycentury Change image and share on social
Certainly being in California has encouraged a sustained commitment to rethinking the nature, purposes, and relevance of the contemporary arts, specifically music, for a society which by and large seems to manage quite well without them. Brian Ferneyhough artcaliforniacommitment share on social
In my own recent String Trio I attempt to superimpose two quite different sets of formal strategies, both of which, ultimately, refer back to historical precedent. Brian Ferneyhough attemptbackformal Change image and share on social
If the work of art is to continue pursuing the vision of both being in and of the world but nevertheless in some fashion being more than just one more object to the mounting clutter, this is the specific point, I think, where this must be assured. Brian Ferneyhough artassureclutter share on social
By reason of weird translation, many such sets of instructions read like poems anyhow. Brian Ferneyhough instructionpoemread Change image and share on social
This was possible only by dint of extended periods of frequently quite painful reflection and digestion. Brian Ferneyhough digestiondintextend Change image and share on social
I'm perplexed, though, by your application of the term 'negative' to my figural imagery. Brian Ferneyhough applicationfiguralimagery Change image and share on social
Why, in such a case, should the performer essay any sort of considered approach at all? Brian Ferneyhough approachcaseconsider Change image and share on social
It is still true that it is easier to compose a poem in the form of a manual for adjusting a VCR than it is to write a piece using just tuning as a symphony. Brian Ferneyhough adjustcomposeeasy Change image and share on social
