Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

Australia

Birth

:

May 13, 1935

Death

:

February 19, 2022

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Nigel Butterley was born on August 13, 1935, in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in a musical family, with his mother being a pianist and his father a violinist. Butterley began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the violin and viola. He attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he studied composition with Sir Eugene Goossens and conducting with Sir Bernard Heinze. Butterley's early works were influenced by the European avant-garde, particularly the music of Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen. His first major composition, "Three Pieces for Orchestra," was premiered by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1961. The work was well-received and established Butterley as a leading figure in the Australian contemporary music scene. Throughout the 1960s, Butterley continued to compose works that were experimental in nature, incorporating elements of serialism and aleatoric techniques. His music was often characterized by its complex rhythms and harmonies, as well as its use of extended techniques for traditional instruments. In the 1970s, Butterley's style began to shift towards a more tonal and lyrical approach. He began to incorporate elements of Australian folk music and Aboriginal culture into his compositions, as well as drawing inspiration from the natural landscape of his homeland. This can be heard in works such as "From Sorrowing Earth" (1974), which was inspired by the Australian outback, and "The White-throated Warbler" (1976), which incorporates bird calls and other natural sounds. One of Butterley's most famous works is "Voices from the Fire" (1983), a choral work that sets texts by Australian poet Judith Wright. The work was commissioned by the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and has since become a staple of the Australian choral repertoire. Butterley's later works continued to explore themes of nature and spirituality, often incorporating elements of mysticism and Eastern philosophy. His final work, "The Wind Stirs Gently" (2019), was premiered posthumously by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2020. Throughout his career, Butterley was recognized as one of Australia's leading composers. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1987 for his contributions to music, and in 2003 he was awarded the Don Banks Music Award, one of Australia's highest honors for composers. Butterley passed away on August 9, 2019, at the age of 83. He left behind a legacy of innovative and deeply spiritual music that continues to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.

More....