The complexity of Brian Ferneyhough
Composer Brian Ferneyhough is known as the "Father of the New Complexity" movement in classical music. The movement, as its name implies, places a great value on complexity. Some details from The Guardian (Jan 21, 2003):
Critics complain that Ferneyhough's music is not only complex, but also unlistenable. Judge for yourself.
Composer Brian Ferneyhough is an infamous figure in contemporary music, regarded with the sort of bafflement and fear once reserved for Berg and Schoenberg. His works are notorious for their mind-boggling complexity. One solo cello piece is written on up to five musical staves – the cello usually requires only one – while the performer is surrounded by a constricting noose of electronic sound. And there is an orchestral piece notated on a 3ft-high schore, the pages dense forests of notes.
Critics complain that Ferneyhough's music is not only complex, but also unlistenable. Judge for yourself.
Comments
This seems like a reaction against "minimalist music" where a single note was repeated for minutes on end.
In the words of Homer Simpson, while listening to a classical music concert with the family after Bart was thought to have a very high IQ: "Why should I have to suffer? I'm not the genius!"
In the words of Homer Simpson, while listening to a classical music concert with the family after Bart was thought to have a very high IQ: "Why should I have to suffer? I'm not the genius!"
Posted by Patrick James Southam on 08/11/22 at 07:20 AM
I listened to two minutes before I got too bored to continue. At least it's better than rap.
Posted by ges on 08/11/22 at 07:54 AM
That’s not music; that is noise.
Posted by Judy on 08/11/22 at 06:31 PM
The worst thing is that, with all its purported "newness" and "complexity", it doesn't sound any different than what was done in the 1920s and 1930s.
Posted by Richard Bos on 08/13/22 at 07:30 AM
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Category: Music