Famous and controversial British composer Mark-Anthony Tarage regrets the lack of revivals of his contemporary works, but points to the fact that contemporary classical music is a major “turnoff” for many audiences. He says he is facing.
“What can I do? But strangely enough, the songs I've played the most are the ones I thought were least likely to be played again,” he said.
“So don't worry, I don't write very difficult contemporary music, but it still won't get played on classical FM.”
A candid talk with Lauren Laverne, who plays her desert island disc The Essex-born musician, who became a castaway on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday morning, also opened up about his own close encounters with hapless concertgoers.
He describes the incident in the men's toilets at Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's Southbank: “When I was at the urinal, a man said to his companion, “What kind of twisted person would write such nonsense?'' I wanted to raise my hand and say “It's me.'' But I snuck out of the bathroom and went back to my seat.
Turnage, who chose music by Igor Stravinsky, Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder for his stay on the island, says it's difficult to attend his own concerts. “I'm always worried that people will get bored. There have been several times I've heard people sitting next to me or in front of me grumbling, and then finally I… When I stood up to bow, they were scared because they wondered if I had heard them.”
Turnage, 64, also admits that he finds it difficult to enjoy some living composers. “I understand that, but I don't like a lot of modern classical music, but I won't name names, of course.
“I remember that time GQ listed their biggest “setbacks,” and contemporary classical music was number one. That was my world, so I thought, “Okay, that's sad.” ”
However, he explains: “People feel trapped. If you go to a museum and you don't like a painting, you can just walk away, but if you're sitting in the middle of a row during a concert, people are polite. I don't want to leave the place.”
But the Ivor Novello and Olivier Award-winning composer also assures Laverne that he “absolutely loves” his work. Some of his most famous operas are adaptations of plays by Steven Berkoff. greekConsidered an important contemporary work, his treatment by Sean O'Casey silver tassiehas entered the modern classical canon.
He is also known for his many swear words in his opera lyrics. A foul-mouthed Covent Garden opera based on his macabre life. playboy Pin-up Anna Nicole Smith caused controversy in 2011. He returned to the Royal Opera House in 2014.
Although Turnage did not write those words, he admits to Laverne that he may have been secretly motivated by a desire to shock his religious parents. “All my operas contain a lot of swearing, silver tassie and coralinemy children's opera. ”
