Mark-Anthony Turnage
Silent Cities
Works Info
Composer:Mark-Anthony TurnageGenre:OrchestralStyle:OrchestralCompose Date:1997Average_duration:16:29Silent Cities is a contemporary classical composition by British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage. The piece was composed in 2007 and premiered on October 25th of the same year at the Barbican Centre in London, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Harding. Silent Cities is a four-movement work that explores the themes of war, loss, and remembrance. The first movement, titled "Memorial," is a somber and reflective piece that sets the tone for the rest of the work. The second movement, "The Boys," is a lively and energetic piece that depicts the excitement and camaraderie of soldiers going off to war. The third movement, "Silent Cities," is the centerpiece of the work and is a haunting and atmospheric piece that evokes the desolation and emptiness of war-torn cities. The final movement, "Epitaph," is a mournful and elegiac piece that serves as a tribute to those who lost their lives in war. One of the defining characteristics of Silent Cities is its use of a large orchestra, which includes a wide range of percussion instruments, brass, woodwinds, and strings. Turnage also incorporates electronic elements into the work, including pre-recorded sounds of war and cityscapes, which add to the overall atmosphere of the piece. Silent Cities is a powerful and moving work that explores the human cost of war and the importance of remembrance. Its premiere was met with critical acclaim, and it has since become a staple of the contemporary classical repertoire.More....
