New frontiers for Louis Andriessen in Birmingham

Mar 12 2010 By Christopher Morley

I asked if this aspect of Andriessen’s work output is part of a developing attitude towards music’s tradition in general, or a one-off byway?

“It’s true that recently I did write some string quartets, but most of my life as a composer I have avoided writing for standard ensembles like string quartets and symphony orchestras.

“In composing I like to come into confrontation with musical history!”

Louis Andriessen is well known for his political engagement, as well as for his abiding interests in the arts in general.

But he is self-deprecating and understated about his political interests. “You don’t need to be running on the streets in demonstrations to understand Marxism-Leninism,” he declares.

In contrast he is strikingly outspoken about his immersion in the other arts.

“In more recent years other elements have got a lot of my attention, like philosophy, architecture, literature, and visual arts, as sources of inspiration.

“My latest theatre work is the story of the writer Anaïs Nin describing her falling in love with and then seducing her father, the composer Joaquin Nin.”

Anaïs Nin was famous as the author of erotic novels, apparently as pot-boilers to keep her Parisian lifestyle going, and a colleague of other controversial writers, including Henry Miller and William Burroughs.

We then go on to consider Louis Andriessen’s residency in Birmingham, how the Birmingham cultural scene is viewed in Europe, and what he hopes will be the outcomes of his time in our city?

“I have been in Birmingham several times. I like the city and the school of music very much,” he answers.

“I have always tried to learn from teaching, and I do think that having students perform and listen to my larger compositions could give them ideas. Perhaps more than me talking!”

* Birmingham Conservatoire hosts a multitude of events based around the residency of Louis Andriessen, from March 15-19. All details on 0121 303 2323