Brett Dean round-up, BBCSO, Barbican Centre, London. (2nd July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stein, Robert
• Is Part Of: Tempo. Volume 69:Number 273(2015)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 36
• Publication Date: 2015-07-02
• Subjects: Music -- Periodicals; Music -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Music -- 21st century -- Periodicals; 780.78
• DOI: 10.1017/S0040298215000121
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-2982

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="text-abstract"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Brett Dean's interests in writing his new cantata <italic>The Last Days of Socrates</italic> were both political and sonic. Coming across an old edition of philosophical dialogues by Plato with this title, the composer was taken particularly by <italic>The Apology</italic> in which Socrates's trial on a charge of 'being a menace to society' is dramatically recounted. Following his condemnation to death by the 501-person jury, the last dialogue in the collection <italic>Phaedo</italic> revisits Socrates in prison awaiting execution. Dean certainly has form both as a politically motivated composer – his <italic>Pastoral Symphony</italic> (2000) was a protest against the soullessness of modern living – and one with an interest in blending ancient and modern. One of his breakthrough pieces, <italic>Carlo</italic> (1997), pits sampled Gesualdo against strings to wonderful effect.</p> </abstract>