Cresswell, Lyell (Richard)

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Cresswell, Lyell (Richard)

Cresswell, Lyell (Richard) , New Zealand composer; b. Wellington, Oct. 13, 1944. He was educated at Victoria Univ. of Wellington (B.Mus., 1968), the Univ. of Toronto (Mus.M., 1970), the Univ. of Aberdeen (Ph.D., 1974), and the Inst. of Sonology at the Univ. of Utrecht (1974–75). After teaching at the Univ. of Glasgow, he was music organizer for the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff (1978–80). He was the Forman Fellow in Composition at the Univ. of Edinburgh (1980–82) and the Cramb Fellow in Composition at the Univ. of Glasgow (1982–85). In 1978 he won the Ian Whyte Award and in 1979 the Australasian Performing Rights Assn. Silver Scroll for his contributions to New Zealand music. His works were selected as outstanding compositions by the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers in 1979, 1981, and 1988. He was the featured composer at Musica Nova in Glasgow (1984), the Sonorities Festival of 20^th

Century Music in Belfast (1985), the Asian Music Festival in Tokyo (1990), and the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts (1990, 1994). While Cresswell utilized aleatoric methods and electronic means in his >early works, he later developed a style in which textural and structural components became the focus of attention. He also found inspiration in New Zealand and Scottish sources, and extended his reach to include various folk and ethnic materials. In some of his works, he displayed an engaging wit and humor.

Works

ORCH Salm (1977; Aberdeen, Jan. 30, 1979); The Magical Wooden Head (Denedin, Sept. 20, 1980); O! (1983, Wellington, March 12, 1983); Cello Concerto (Glasgow, Sept. 22, 1984); Speak for us, great sea (Belfast, April 28, 1985); Akarana Karaka (1989; Auckland, June 7, 1990); Ixion (Edinburgh, Aug. 12, 1989); Ylur (1990–91; Kirkwall, June 23, 1991); Major Ricketts for Brass Band (1991; Manchester, Feb. 16, 1992); Dragspil, accordion concerto (London, Aug. 7, 1995); String Quartet Concerto (1996; Aberdeen, Feb. 5, 1997); Kaea, trombone concerto (1997; St. Andrews, Feb. 18, 1998). CHAMBER : String Quartet (Edinburgh, Dec. 3, 1981); Le Sucre du Printemps for six Bass Clarinets and 3 Contrabass Clarinets (1982; Amsterdam, Jan. 19, 1983); The Pumpkin Massacre for 12 Solo Strings (1987; Napier, April 15, 1989); Passacagli for Large Chamber Ensemble (1988; Edinburgh, April 16, 1989); Brass Sextet (1988; Edinburgh, March 9, 1989); Atta for Cello (Ferrara, Oct. 3, 1993); Whira for Violin (Nelson, April 22, 1997); Of Whirlwind Underground for E-flat Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bass Trombone, Cello, and Double Bass (Auckland, Nov. 21, 1999); And Every Sparke Shivering for Piano Quintet (Auckland, Oct. 25, 2000). KEYBOARD: Piano : The Grammar of Solitude (1985–88; Paris, May 25, 1989); Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow, and Blue (Middelburg, July 7, 1993); Acquerello (Gijon, Oct. 15, 1995). Harpsichord : Bisbigliando (1993; Viitasaari, July 10, 1994). VOCAL: Prayer for the cure of a sprained back for Mezzo-soprano (1979; Christchurch, March 12, 1982); 7 Shaker Songs for Baritone and Piano (Stroud, Oct. 16, 1980); O Let the Fire Burn for Chorus (Wellington, April 25, 1981); 8 Shaker Songs for Soprano and Piano (1985; London, June 17, 1986); To Aspro Pano Sto Aspro for Chorus (1985; Glasgow, May 12, 1986); A Modern Ecstasy for Mezzo-soprano, Baritone, and Orch. (1986; Glasgow, May 6, 1989); Words for Music for Mezzo-soprano (1989; London, Feb. 6, 1990); Voices of Ocean Winds for Chorus and Orch. (1989; Wellington, March 23, 1990); II Suono di Enormi Distanze for Mezzo-soprano and Large Ensemble (1992–93; Glasgow, May 7, 1993); Snatches from Baptized Generations for Tenor and Piano (Aberdeen, Sept. 28, 1995); The Belly of the Whale for Chorus (1996; Glasgow, Feb. 20, 1997).