Pick / 19 Dec 2008

PICK OF THE WEEK / FRI 19 DEC 2008

1. Arvo Pärt

The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has, this week, taken the unusual step of publishing an unperformed work, his fourth symphony. Almost 40 years since his last symphony, the new score is only available online, care of Universal Edition. More details can be found in an article in The Guardian. In this clip, the composer is interviewed by his fellow musical spiritualist, Björk.

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2. Nine lessons and Carols

It would hardly be Christmas without this. Nonetheless, dedicated followers of the service may be surprised by The Telegraph’s article on the origins of The Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge, in which Music Director Stephen Cleobury reveals that the tradition is not actually that old and was, in any case, stolen from Truro.

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3. The Full Monteverdi

While not exactly seasonal, our own film, The Full Monteverdi, will have its UK television premiere on Christmas Day. Broadcast simultaneously on SkyArts2 and SkyArtsHD at 8pm, the transmission will be an unusual alternative to tinsel television. If you have yet to see the film, this clip comes from about halfway through; another streaming preview can be seen on the web at www.skyarts.co.uk.

More recent information about the film is available from its latest newsletter.