(b. 1954)
Richard Blackford studied privately with Elisabeth Lutyens and at the Royal College of Music. He spent a number of years as Henze’s assistant in Italy, where he received his first commissions while immersed in the European avant-garde. He returned to London in 1977 to turn his sights to the dramatic potential of music: he received two commissions for children’s operas and embarked on his career as a composer for the screen which has resulted in over eighty scores for film and television. The mid-1990s saw a renewed focus on lyrical and eloquent works for the concert hall, notably the poignant and eclectic oratorio Voices of Exile.
Richard Blackford Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Not In Our Time
Timpani + 3 percussion
Orchestral bass drum, tam tam, tubular bells C4, D, F, Gb, Bb, Db, Ab, suspended cymbal x 2, congas, snare drum, military drum, clash cymbals, glockenspiel, 2 octaves crotales, water gong
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Voices of Exile
Timpani + 2 percussion
1) 2 log drums, marimba, Chinese cymbal, suspended cymbal, bongos, snare drum, orchestral bass drum, tam tam, clash cymbals, triangle 2) orchestral bass drum, tam tam, Chinese cymbal, 2 octaves crotales, snare drum, congas, suspended cymbal, claves, marimba, hi hat, triangle
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