Uncategorized

Thank you to Christian Carey for posting my thoughts on Elliott Carter to Sequenza 21! You can read it here.

In remembering Carter, I think of how he ventured to Tucson, Arizona to compose his 1^st String Quartet in the very late 1940’s. Tucson is where I was born, and so I’m familiar with the intense isolation that Carter must have been seeking. In those vast, expansive desert landscapes, a certain kind of depth can be had once one is separated from the noise of our culture. The Sonoran Desert that surrounds Tucson is a place so completely removed from the concerns of our world. Coming from New York City, Carter was brave to face this isolation. But his exploratory character must have drawn him to it: a silent environment where he could imagine a music all his own.

My own experiences with Carter were transformative. I first met him in New York at a concert celebrating his 95^th birthday. A performance of this 5^th String Quartet made a great impression on me, and I wanted to know how it was put together. Carter was notoriously shy about discussing the technical aspects of his work and with me he was no different. Soon after, I took the time to study the work’s sketches at the Paul Sacher Stiftung. After satisfying my technical curiosities, I realized that Carter was right to not want to ‘talk shop’ too much with me. He was concerned with being understood as an artist and not a technician: that all the rigors of his work were in service of his art.

Like the desert Carter explored while composing one of his most ground-breaking works, contemporary music itself can sometimes feel inaccessible, even to those who care about it so deeply. For those looking in, perhaps they see a window into the alienation artists can feel as they attempt relevant cultural commentary in such an abstract medium. And Carter’s music is no different, having been characterized sometimes as difficult to access. But what Carter gave us, in the example of his life and work ethic, was the opportunity to move beyond that discourse, and into a space where the rigorous pursuit, and the excitement and adventures of creation, are valued most highly. It is certainly through Carter’s persistent search, over a lifetime, that he found such an original voice. Such an artistic path might set an example for any young artist.

When Carter turned 100, I composed a string duo dedicated to him: Reciprocal Accord. Here, the work is performed by Curtis Macomber and Chris Finkel.

https://johnaylward.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/10-reciprocal-accord.mp3

Thanks to ArkivMusic for this wonderful review of my album Stillness and Change. “This is music of fascination and profundity”. Wow! So happy that it has touched you! Thanks for these important words and for your support of my work!

And if you check out this review, scroll down to the bottom of the page where you can hear sample clips of the album tracks. A nice feature of this site.

Recently, Fanfare magazine reviewed my debut album, Stillness and Change, now available on Albany Records. Take a look at the wonderful review here. Thank you Fanfare!

I recently sat down with David Canfield at Fanfare magazine to talk about my debut album on Albany Records. You can read the interview here. Thanks, David, for an insightful and thoughtful talk.