Harrison Birtwistle has won the 2015 BASCA award for best orchestral composition for ‘Responses: Sweet disorder and the carefully careless’.
The work was co-commissioned by Bayerischer Rundfunk, Casa da Musica Porto, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and featured soloist Pierre-Laurent Aimard.
“Birtwistle sees the ‘together and against each other’ of piano and orchestra as a permanent dialogue” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“From the first scintillating rattle of tambourine, crasher and castanet machine, into which the piano bursts with a swift flourish, to the final, hushed violin harmonics, shape and intention are clear.” – The Observer
You can watch a video of the composer discussing the work here.
The Awards ceremony was held at the BFI Southbank on 9 December. You can listen to the highlights, which were broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday 12th December.
