Page 27 - index

They have all been composed with a performer in mind
and with a recording built into the thinking. Recordings are
seriously held up at present and I feel this a particularly
frustrating aspect of the current environment. Recordings
can be rather quick events at the first stage but editing,
programme note making and the rest are the time
consuming factors. Some six albums are either recorded
and awaiting editing finalisation or are projects planned
but rendered static by not being able to meet up, rehearse,
discuss and set down. Their time will arrive and I will be
waiting!

I also made an earlier, quasi luxurious decision, to cut back
on the number of wind and brass band commissions I
accepted. The latter medium was less concerning as I had
completed my cycle of concertos and either been
commissioned or chosen for all the major competitions at
one time or another. As for the wind band, it is harder to
release: let’s face it where does one get an orchestra of that
size and with abundant percussion and additional players
to boot?

Therefore that area is reduced but not relinquished – I
have completed a US commission during recent months
but when it will be premiered is now unknown. Another
area that I have seriously revisited is my interest in the
string orchestra and choral music. The former I tackled
with an album recorded by the RNCM String Orchestra and Martin Ellerby
released in 2017, but my new group of pieces, recorded by
the RLPO late last year, is a victim of the virus as it is not One other source of solace, and indeed satisfaction, is
possible to run a manageable final session to complete the being able to take on some of the many recordings I have
project. acquired in the past and actually listen to them! What a
delight to make an in-house project of the Prokofiev piano
The choral project is complete in principle in that the sonatas and the Shostakovich preludes and fugues, both
material is all composed but again held in limbo by not accompanied with scores and analytical commentaries on
being able to rehearse and record it all. One should not get the subjects in parallel.
too depressed, and I don’t, as these things will happen in
due course, for a composer can, at least, write music
whatever the external situation is.

The ‘hit’ as far as composers are concerned will be the
haunting of the virus: royalties come in after the event
and there have been no live performances this year world-
wide, plus music publishers have not been making any of
their usual sales as musical bodies have not been meeting,
rehearsing or performing. My July 2020 PRS statement was
98% US live performances, mainly university wind bands
and ensembles. This will have a devastating effect on next
year’s July statement and also all other PRS distributions. Oh, and all those books I bought and the films and the
Publishing royalties have already proved to be lesser and documentaries that have looked at me with vacant eyes
will take some time to recover. Nevertheless I shall not cry for years – they are being read and watched and I am
into my beer as it’s worse for other members of the music benefitting from their contents. I battle on…
community, principally for the most valued of my musical
colleagues, performers, who might be able to practice but To all out there, know you are not alone – we will make
are denied playing in public, even meeting up and playing music again together soon. We will dine out before
in small groups etc. Theirs is the bleeding heart and I weep concerts and go to bars afterwards for the post mortem!
for them. Neither can conductors conduct and across the We’ll travel freely on trains and planes and share each
wide horizons of the arts all sorts of previously familiar others company. We will find ourselves again and the
activities are curtailed, delayed or even cancelled. experience will make us better together, more
compassionate, more understanding and, with the
The final outcome is awaited with trepidation and great exception of universal politicians, more human!
concern. What was will not be the same again and we will
all be facing new ways of working and collaborating in ‘God bless us, every one!’
pursuit of our ambitions and destinies. ©2020 Martin Ellerby, Altrincham, October

................................................................................................. 27 .................................................................................................
www.basbwe.net